OTT Bling Bling at Cowgirl Up

Happy Halloween! I've had a really happy blogging week this week, I was over the moon to be featured on Inspirational Craft Blogs - what an honour, I'm still on cloud 9!! And I've also been in the top 3 at Moving Along with the Times AND Sir Stampalot!! I'll be doing a happy dance all day lol. Anyway todays card is my DT card for this weeks challenge from the posse at Cowgirl's Sunday Stamp'en Challenge, where our theme is 'Over the top BLING BLING!'

We have a fabulous sponsor again this week, Delicious Doodles, Teri's images are gorgeous and the winner will receive a fab prize from the Delicious Doodles store!!

The Top 3 will get a prize from CJ at Cowgirl Up Designs and of course the winner and top 3 will get the badges for their blogs too.

I was given a beautiful image from Delicious Doodles for my card this week, I love this image and although the theme is over the top bling I really wanted the image to be the focal point of this card. The image is coloured with promarkers and I added some irridescent yellow seed beads and a little glitter to the centre of the water lily. The sentiment is from Hero Arts, i stamped it directly onto the card and then drew the sqaure frame with a fine black marker and a ruler. To add some OTT Bling, I used some flat backed gems i got from the pound shop around the frame.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Craft your Passion: Glitter and Sparkles

Papertake: Sparkly and Bright

Aud Sentiments: Thank you

Fab'n'Funky: Clean and Simple

Paper Pretties: Make a square

Totally Papercrafts: Bling it on

Craft Your Days Away: All white (use colour only on main image)

Thanks for visiting, I'm looking forward to seeing you OTT Bling! I hope you remembered to put your clock back an hour if you're in the UK. Hubby altered ours but I forgot to alter my phone and bedside clock so I'm still a bit confused (but thats nothing new lol)

Claire xx

Autumn leaves

Hi I've had a lovely day so far and managed to get a couple of cards finished. Autumn is really here in my little corner of the UK, the trees are beautiful colours and as its been breezy today the leaves are falling quickly now. I've made another Autumn themed card, I love these colours and really enjoyed making this card. The main image is 'Earth' by Michelle Perkett, you can find Earth in Michelle's Etsy Store. This weeks challenge over at Michelle Perkett Studio is 'Autumn Leaves' so I thought this image would be perfect.

Its hard to see on the photo but I have used an acetate overlay behind the main image as i've used some pressed leaves as part of the background. The BP is from the gorgeous Artylicious CD, 'Essence of Nature'. I printed out the bp in an orange hue and distressed it with shabby shutters DI to add some green. I added a sheet of double sided clear film to the bp and attached the pressed leaves to the film and then popped a sheet of acetate over the top  to protect the leaves as they are pretty delicate.

Earth is coloured with promarkers and edged with a copper pentouch pen (as is the background and the sentiment). I made a couple of stitched ribbon flowers with pearls for the centres (the pearls are coloured with caramel alcohol ink) and added some punched vellum fern leaves. The leaves are coloured with brilliance ink pads (rust and green) and then sprayed with moonshadow mists. Mica sprays seem to make the vellum kind of crinkly which is perfect for autumn leaves. The sentiment and little flower head border are from Hero Arts,  stamped on a scrap of card coloured with the overspill from making the leaves.

I'm entering Earth in the following challenges:

Sunday Stamper: Green

OSAAT: All Celebrations (I chose birthday)

Sketch and Stash: Sketch although I used the pressed leaves instead of the two panels accross the card so please delete my entry if it doesn't count)

Double Dutch: Fall and embellishments from nature

City Crafter: Autumn leaves falling

Digital Tuesday: Use a non craft item (hope pressed leaves count!)

Simon Says: Punch em

Just add ink: Just add birthdays

Cute Card Thursday: so transparent

Polkadoodles: Autumn

Thanks for visiting today, I really ought to go and tidy my craftroom as i've been doing some seriously messy crafting and as usual have stuff everywhere . The only thing is if i tidy up, i won't be able to find anything so maybe I'll leave it and park myself on the sofa ready for Strictly and X factor. I do lead an exciting life lol

Claire xx

Anything goes at Fairy Knoll !

Hi, Friday at last and time for a new challenge over at Fun at Fairy Knoll, this week we have an easy challenge for you, 'Anything Goes'. I've used one of Brandi's gorgeous halloween images 'Little Witchy' for  this card, you can find her (and lots more) here.

I've coloured Little Witchy with promarkers and cut her out. I punched the black card with an EK success border puch. The green bp is from Raspberry Road Designs and has been stamped with some toadtool and spider web stamps from Elusive Images. The ornage tartan bp is from Crafy Anns, the ribbon and buttons are from my stash. I didn't have quite the right colour buttons so I inked some buttons with versamark ink and embossed them with mauve EP and tequila sunrise EP.

I'm entering Little Witchy in the following challenges:

Sketch Saturday: sketch

Creative Card Crew: Lets punch it

Crafty Creations: Halloween/autumn

Little Red Wagon: Halloween

Paperplay: A haunting we will go

Ai Factory: Halloween

Sarah Hurley: Halloween

Thanks for calling by, I hope you are all ready for Halloween and those things that go bump in the night :-). I think the Halloween bug is spreading in the UK, I found my boss and some of the members trimming up our drop in at work with assorted spooky balloons and scary tinsel with skulls on yesterday (what will they think of next ??)

Claire xx

A refreshing change...

I think we've all been loving the gorgeous Autumn and Halloween colours around for the last few weeks but making this card was such a refreshing change after all those browns, blacks oranges and purples! This week's recipe at Cooking it up with Katie is the perfect one for you if you're looking for a change too. Our recipe this week is

• Lilac
• Girly
• Bow

and we are sponsored by Robyn's Fetish and  the DT were all able to use a fab image and I chose this beautiful bird and bird house! Such a cute image

The liac crackle background is made using lilac and buttermilk ecogreen paints and pva glue. The lemon squares are also plain card and ecogreen paint as is the lilac card the main image is matted on. The lilac gingham paper is from my stash. All the layers have paper piercing around the edges and some distressing for a bit of interest.

The image is coloured with promarkers. I added some flowers (made with Marianne dies and ecogreen paint), tiny buttons, memory wire spirals and a gingham bow to finish off

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Cute card Thursday: Sketch

Crafty Emma's Challenge: Buttons and Bows

Frosted Designs: Lets see your die cuts

Meljens: Anything goes

I did it creations: Surprise me

Thanks for visiting today :-)

Claire xx

Meet Spooky Sally

Hi there, I don't celebrate Halloween but this year I've really got into Halloween crafting. I thought I was all Halloweened out until I saw Spooky Sally, a gorgeous new image from Michelle Perkett (available at Michelle's store here) I decided not to make a card and when I saw this fab template over at Create 4 Fun, I thought it would be a great halloween project!

This was so easy to make up once I'd cut the template out, I think I'll be making some Christmas ones too. Sally is coloured with promarkers and I added some faux stitching around the image. The spooky bp is from 'Booville' by Raspberry Road Designs. I added orange grosgrain ribbon around the top and lime green around the bottom and they a layer of bobbly trim from my stash (i'm not sure of the proper name lol). I also used lime green and orange eyelets in the top of the little carton.

The cute sentiment comes with the image and I cut it off, layered it on a scrap of matching paper and attached it to the top of the carton with orange ribbon, green ribbon and lots more bobbly trim.

I'm also entering Sally in the following challenges:

Dutch Dare: Halloween

Raise the bar: Orange, black and purple

Stamp something: Digi day

2 Sisters: Anything goes

Crazy 4 Challenges: Halloween

Corrosive challenge: Halloween (or black and orange)

Paper Playtime: Halloween

Thanks for popping by today, Tuesday means a new challenge over at Michelle Perkett Studios so pop over and check out this weeks theme and the wonderful DT creations

Claire xx

Fancy a swap????

Suzanne our team leader at Let's Ink It Up has had a fab idea, we're starting a swap!!

The theme for the swap is: 'Thank You'

Make a set of six 3x3 stamped notecards including envelopes with the option of a box to go with them. there is a great tutorial for a notecard box here at SCS and for something less bulky a note tote tutorial from SCS here.

The swap will run from 1st December until 1st February 2011,

 pop over to Let's Ink It Up and find out how to join in

Claire xx

Willow in Pink

Monday again and back to work for me but I wanted to share a card I made over the weekend using 'Willow with Lantern' a gorgoeus Whiff of Joy stamp I got recently from Jazzlins Designs

I've coloured Willow with promarkers (lots of Vintage Pink and warm grey to try and get an old rose colour for her dress) and cut her out before layering her on to a background made by inking the sky and adding polar white flowersoft and judikins prisma glitter for the snow. OK, i confess I didn't intend to cut her out, I coloured her and added a glow around the lantern and then had a di-sa-ster!! I decided to use my blender pen around the 'glow' and forgot I'd been using it on black and left an enormous black blob so I had to cut her out lol.

The pink backgrounds are made using a Tim Holtz snowflake stamp and versamark on glossy card and then brayering over the top with Soothing Sunset B&J ink and memento cocoa brown ink. The other layers are distressed with a craft knife and Vintage Photo Distress Ink. The sentiment is also a stamp from Whiff of Joy and the gems are from my stash. (The two pink panels are the same colour in real life honest, the light is really reflecting off the left one and so it looks a totally different colour lol)

I'm entering Willow in the following challenges:

Whiff of Joy: Distressing

Passion for Promarkers: Pink or Purple Christmas card

Craft Your Passion: Glitter and sparkle

Sentimental Sundays: Distressing

Paper Sundaes: Natural Woman

The Crafty Pad: Christmas

Bah Humbug: Elegance (Willow in her lovely dress)

Fussy and Fancy Friday: Winter Wonderland

ABC Christmas Challenge : Sketch and 2 'v's (pushing it a bit, mine are vintage pink promarker and vintage photo distress ink)

Thanks for visiting today.

Claire xx

Halloween blog hop and Cowgirl Up!!

Hello, not only do we have a new challenge this week at Cowgirl's Sunday Stampen Challenge, we also have a really fun Halloween blog hop with prizes and candy too!!

If you've arrived from Chris' fabby blog, then you're on the right track, if not you need to hop on over to the challenge blog where the fun is starting!!

The winner will receive a fantastic prize from our sponsor Crafty Ribbons!! Not only will  the lucky winner receive these gorgeous ribbons, they'll also win 2 images from CJ at Cowgirl Designs Digital Stampen Ranch too !!

The  Top 3 will each receive one image from CJ and winners badge.

Winners must hop along the Posse Name list and comment to win. We will be checking :-)
To win the candy, you must leave a comment on the challenge blog stating which Posse card or project they liked best and why. 

There is also an extra prize!! Challengers that use any one of CJs images will be entered in a special drawing for a grab bag of goodies and images. We would like challengers to use Halloween Images for the hop, however not everyone has Halloween where they live or celebrates it so as long as you use one of CJs images you will be put inthe special draw :-)

Here's my card for the Halloween blog hop!! I haven't used a special Halloween image, I thought Cj's gorgeous image 'Jackie' would make a fun halloween card (you can find Jackie here in CJ's shop). Jackie is coloured with promarkers and attached to the background with 3d foam pads.  The circular background is coloured with promarkers and distressed with black and purple ink.

The bps are all from Raspberry Road Designs and I stamped spiders webs over the purple bp. The flowers are made from recycled packaging (I knew it would come in handy lol), the purple tissue was cut in circles, glimmer misted, scrunched up and then layerd overy some black shredded corrugated card (more recycled packaging lol). I added some irridescent seed beads to the flower centres.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Sketch and Stash: Sketch

Drunken Stampers: Halloween

Allsorts: Spots and Stripes

The Crazy Challenge: Halloween

Ooh La La: Scary Stuff

Paper Playtime: Pumpkins/Spiders webs

Craft your Passion: Orange Purple and Black

C.R.A.F.T: Spooky

Paper Cutz: Halloween + stars, circles, diamonds or crescents (I chose circles on my bp)

Thanks for hopping by today, your next stop on the Cowgirl Up Halloween blog hop is Elke's blog so hop on over and see her fabulous Halloween creation!!

Claire xx

Make a Scene at Let's Ink It Up

Hi there, time for a  new challenge at Let's Ink It Up is 'Make a Scene'. We had some amazing entries last time so I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone creates for our challenge this time around.

Once again we have a fab sponsor, our lucky winner will get a $10 voucher for Tickled Pink stamps!!

 "Tickled Pink Stamps is based in Australia and is the home of the Lil Lolita and Lil Lads Stamps. They are everything quirky and sweet all in the one stamp and perfect for any occasion. Tickled Pink Stamps also has a range of sentiments and images to match with the gorgeous Lil Lolita and Lil Lads ranges. With new images coming all the time there is always something there to suit everyone and help bring out the quirky in us all...."

I love this theme and decided to get my brayer out and create an Autumn scene for my DT card.

I've used a Kaleidacolour ink pad (Autumn Leaves) and stamps from CaroLines Rubber Stamps, Elusive Images and Artmeio to create the scene. I've also added some stickles to the tree as i can't resist a bit of bling lol. The bp is made from vellum stamped with Elusive Images leaf stamps in brilliance ink and then sprayed with glimmer mists. I was a bit shocked when the whole thing curled up and wrinkled but I kind of liked the effect. The vellum is attached to some copper pearlescent card with brads. The copper card has a punched border to show a little of the base card with I distressed with shabby shutters and pine needles distress inks.

The embellish the card I made some paper flowers from scrap paper coloured with inkadinks and cosmic shimmer powders. I added buttons to the centres and attached them over some chocolate box bows with silicone. I added some paper leaves, beaded leaves on wire and made a pin using beads and a headpin from my stash. I added a couple of shrink plastic leaves and a dragonfly brad from my stash to finish off. Heres another pic to show the detail on the card.

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

Sir Stampalot: Autumn Breeze (buttons and bow)

Shabby Tea Room: Chocolate covered Autumn

The Pink Elephant: Brown and orange

Charisma Cardz: Vintage

Thanks for visiting today, I hope you're going to make a scene with us at LIIU, you have until November 5th, 12 noon Sidney Australia time to get your entry in. Don't forget to check out the rest of the DT's blogs as they have really excelled themselves again and come up with some amazing creations!!

Claire xx

Full Moon Fever Blog Hop at MPS!!

Woo hoo, blog hop time at MIchelle Perkett Studios and our theme is 'Full Moon Fever'. Not everyone celebrates Halloween so we're celebrating some gorgeous new images from Michelle Perkett and the full moon this weekend with a blog hop. As part of the blog hop we are sharing some of our national celebrations around this time of year too.

Well if you've arrived from Pauline's fab blog then you're on the right track, if not you need to start hopping at Michelle's blog. Michelle will be giving out some fab prizes along the way so you don't want to miss out!!  Here's the blog hop list in case you are lost along the way :-)


Michelle - (Sara) - http://michelleperkett.blogspot.com/
Pauline L - http://pritasheaven.blogspot.com/
Margie - http://creativityplace24.blogspot.com/
Melanie - http://fabulouscolorfulcraftsbymel.blogspot.com/
Jan - http://www.jans-gonestampin.blogspot.com/
Josie- http://josie-randomcreativity.blogspot.com/
Lynne http://www.doodlebuglynne.blogspot.com/
Lee http://stampingwithgrandmalee.blogspot.com/
Marilyn - http://marilynscardsandmore.blogspot.com/
Pauline G. http://paulineguttrey.blogspot.com/
Claire - http://clairescraftycreations.blogspot.com/
Elenor - http://www.metrobloggen.se/paltbarn
Rhonda - http://bluepoohbear753.blogspot.com/
Abby  http://abbyscreations.blogspot.com /
Andrea - http://andreasscraps.com/
Tammy - http://mycraftcentral.blogspot.com/
Marion - http://cardsbymarione.blogspot.com/
Shelley - http://shelleyscreations.blogspot.com/
Michelle Perkett Studios - http://michelleperkettstudio.blogspot.com/

I've used 'Some Enchanted Evening' from Michelle Perkett and made an acetate card with a brayered sky background. The image is coloured with promarkers, cut out and layered over the background with silicone glue. The background is made using dots of versamark pen for the stars and then brayered with the blue/green end of Mountain Meadow Big&Juicy Ink pad. I also stamped silhouette fairies from Stamp it Crazy on the acetate and on the background (to look like shadows)

I love to make these acetate cards, heres a slightly different view. The acetate and card back are held together with a couple of eyelets and I added some ribbon and beaded cord to the top so it didn't look too plain. I also added some dots of stickles to add some stars to the front of the acetate too

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Flutter by Wednesday: Open challenge but using a butterfly, angel or fairy

Fab'n'Funky: Things that go bump in the night

Paperplay: blue, orange and olive green

In the UK we don't really celebrate Halloween but on November 5th we celebrate Bonfire Night (or Guy Fawkes Night) which celebrates the failure of a plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament back in 1605. We celebrate by having bonfires and burning a guy on the fire (a figure made from old clothes etc). We also have lots of fireworks and food such as toffee apples, bonfire toffee etc. A lot of people go to a public firework display but some still have a bonfire party in their garden. Unfortunately we don't get a day off work to celebrate lol.

Thanks for hopping by, your next stop on the blog hop is Elenor's fabby blog so hop on over and see her beautiful creation

Thanks for calling by

Claire xx

Fall Fun at Fairy Knoll

Hello, its time for another challenge over at Fairy Knoll and this week our challenge theme is 'Happy Fall'. I've used Brandi's new digistamp for this card, isn't she a cutie in her leafy top? (You can find her and lots more lovely digistamps here)

I've made a gatefold card for a change and used bps from Raspberry Road Designs. The image is coloured as usual with promarkers and I've added an arch of roses, ribbon and leaves from my stash. I did have a bit of a disaster making this card as I managed to stick the bp over my ruler and couldn't get it out lol. I think i must have been in shock though as hubby had just evicted the most enormous spider from my craft room! Well thats my excuse and I'm sticking to it lol. Fortunately i managed to get the ruler out without ruining the card.

I'm entering this cute little fall fairy in the following challenges:

Creative Inspirations: Halloween/Fall

I love Promarkers: Autumn

Crafty Creations: Red, brown, green
Daring Cardmakers: Autumn Leaves

Thanks for calling by, I'm looking forward to seeing your autumn/fall creations

Claire xx

A new challenge from Crafty Ann!

Hi there, Friday morning again and a new challenge from Crafty Ann's Challenge, this time our challenge is to use Ribbon, Gems and embellishment(s) made from card or paper.

I've used one of Crafty Ann's gorgeous Venetian Masks for this card and also one of Ann's new bps. The mask is coloured with promarkers and has stickles and gems for a bit of bling. The two black squares are black card which has been cuttlebugged and then inked with brilliance pearlescent ivy ink for a hint of green. I've used some crushed satin ribbon from my stash and for my card/paper embellies I've used a buckle and some buttons, printable embellies of course from Crafty Ann's. Ann is so clever, these embellies are really useful and when I'm printing digistamps out I fill in any left over space with some of these embellies then they are ready to go and I can just colour them to match my project (The sheet also contains bows and a variety of shaped buckles) The buckle is coloured with a black stardust pen and has dots of lime stickles. The buttons are coloured with promarkers and triple embossed. They are soooooo effective in real life. The bp and the embossed squares are all mounted on some greeny black glitter card from my stash.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Sarah Hurley: Colouring

 Hodge Podge Shop: Monochomatic (a brand new challenge blog just starting up!!)

Stampin Royalty: Ribbon

Southern Girls: Glitter it up

Meljens: Anything goes

Moving along with the times: The theme is anything goes but you must use promarkers (and they have a fab promarker prize from this weeks sponsor Letraset )

Thanks for calling today. I love this weeks challenge theme and i'm looking forward to seeing your creations and getting some ideas from your paper embellies too :-)

Claire xx

What's Cooking with Katie this week?

Hi there, halfway to the weekend, I'm counting down already lol (not that I don't love my job of course tee hee). Wednesday morning means a new recipe from Cooking it up with Katie  and this week we'd like to see you use the following ingredients

• Make mine a double
• Glitter
• Letters

I've cooked up a Christmas card with this weeks recipe, using a gorgeous digi from our fab sponsor Stamping Dragon. I love this image, it really made me think of an old fashioned Christmas so I used 2 of the gorgeous papers from Dovecraft Noel papers. They really made me think of vintage wallpapers

The image is coloured with promarkers and I added some glitter around the fire and the candles. The image is mounted on the stripey paper with foam pads and matted on some gold mirri card. The sentiment is a stamp from Elusive Images, stamped in red ink on cream card and then highlighted with glossy accents. I thought this stamp would be perfect for the 'letters' part of the recipe. To finish off I added a couple of paper poinsettias.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Winter Wonderland : Vintage look

Tuesday Throwdown: Anything goes

Paper Cutz: Anything goes

If the shoe fits: Holiday challenge (I'm celebrating Christmas)

Wee Memories: Celebrate the good times (Christmas)

Thanks for visiting today.I hope you're going to try our recipe this week.

Claire xx

As you like it

I was really stuck for an idea for Frankie's challenge at Dragon's Dream Tag it On this time as the theme is 'As You Like It' and Frankie would like to see a twist. I decided to twist the tag and make it horizontal and then when I was reading Craft Stamper I spotted a project to make a note holder using pegs so i decided to combine it to give my tag another twist.

I brayered a background using Kaleidacolour Autumn Breeze inkpad and then created an Autumn scene with stamps from Artemio and Elusive Images. I took 3 pieces of stampbord, coloured them with the same inkpad and stamped them with some Elusive Images leaf stamps. I edged them with gold and triple embossed them with clear EP to make them shine. I took 3 wooden pegs and snipped the ends off so they were a little smaller than the stampbord and attached the stampbord to the pegs with silicone glue. Once they were dry I stuck them to the tag. The hanger is made with bronze, copper and lime green wire and beads from my stash.

Here's a side view showing the altered pegs

I really enjoyed making this and hope the silicone glue holds up lol

Thanks for calling by

Claire xx

Witches Brew

Hi there do you fancy a Witches Brew?  Our challenge this week at Michelle Perkett Studio is a spooky challenge - we want to see your halloweeny creations with your yummy halloween backing papers too. I've used Candy, The Sweet Halloween Witch' (available from Michelle's Etsy Store) for this spooky card (although Candy is too cute to be spooky lol)

Sorry the pic is a bit dark, its hard to see the gorgeous bps (Booville from Raspberry Road Designs) . I've followed the sketch from Truly Scrumptious, punched a border on the Halloween text paper with an EK success punch and distressed all the papers with lots of  black ink. On the folded back corner I stamped a spooky spider in his web with an Elusive Images stamp. Candy is coloured with promarkers.

I haven't got any halloweeny embellishments so I decided to make my own lol. The broomstick is made with a cocktail stick inked with black ink and some purple and orange embroidery thread tied on with a bow. I crushed a bottletop in my cuttlebug, added black glitter to the outside and cut a circle from the text paper and stuck it onto some black braid. I'm entering this card with my home made embellies in the Top Tip Tuesday Challenge which is 'Anything Goes'

I'm entering Candy in the following challenges:

Crafts and Me: Halloween

Truly Scrumptious: Sketch

Glitterbabe's Challenge: Halloween (and of course glitter/sparkle)

Moving Along with the Times: Halloween

Polkadoodles: Something spooky

Stamp something: Halloween somethings

Creative Inspirations: Halloween/Fall

Pollycraft: Purple, Green +1 (I chose orange)

Magical Monday: Halloween

A Spoonfull of Sugar: Boo

I hope you're going to share a Witches Brew with us this week :-)

Don't forget we have the fab Full Moon Fever Blog hop coming up at the weekend too, you can find out more here!!

Thanks for calling by, hope you're having a good week so far :-)

Claire xx

A new challenge from Cowgirl's Sunday Stampen Challenge!!

Hi there, its time for a new challenge at Cowgirls Sunday stampen Challenge and this week our challenge is a sketch plus make your own background!! Thanks to the talented Alison for our fab sketch this week! I've really enjoyed making this card as I love sketch challenges and I love making backgrounds too!!

As usual there are some fab prizes on offer and this week we are sponsored by the lovely Michelle Perkett, who has some amazing digistamps so hop on over to the challenge blog and check out the goodies!

I've used this beautiful image Emilee from CJ at Cowgirl Up Designs and coloured her with promarkers and sakura stardust pens. I've made 2 background for this card, the first is directly behind Emilee and is clear embossing powder with versamark ink on black card (using a swirly stamp from Elusive Images) and then adding tiny dots of red stickles to the design. The main background was made by painting some card with pure gold ecogreen acrylic paint and once it was dry, stamping with a paisley stamp (from Elusive images) in black pigment ink. Once the ink was dry, I rubbed vaseline in patches over the design and then painted all over with black acrylic paint. Once the paint was dry, the vaseline rubs off leaving patches of the gold background showing through.

The gold swirls are  cut on my cricut, inked with versamark and embossed with gold EP and dotted with red stickles. I added a red rose from Wild Orchid crafts and a butterfly from my stash and added a few more dots of stickles for the butterflies trail

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Scrap it with a song: Vogue

Gingersnap Creations Spicy Supply Challenge GC 73: versamark

Simon Says : 3 types of embellies (diecuts, flower and butterfly) 2 dps (mmm do my homemade backgrounds count??) I image

Sisterhood of Crafters: Bling

Delightful Challenges: Metal Mania (my faux metal embellies)

Incy Wincy: Faux it up

Digi Doodle's Best: People

Stampin with the Dragon: You got ink

Daring Cardmakers: Welcome to the Dance

Thanks for calling by today. Have a good Sunday

Claire xx

Happy Birthday Cupcake

Hi, weekend at last :-) I was going to schedule this post but Mr Blogger and Mr Internet are playing silly games at the minute so I'll post now while they are cooperating lol.  I'm so excited about today, as I'm going to an encaustic art workshop and to meet up with some forum friends (oooooh how excited am I???) I've made this little card using my favourite cupcake image 'Happy Birthday Flower Cupcake', from Michelle Perkett (available here at Michelle's store)

I've used hot pink pearl card for the base card and to mat the image. The gorgeous bp is from Joanna Sheen. The image is coloured with promarkers and highlighted with some ultrafine glitters in matching colours. I added a hot pink organza ribbon bow to finish the card off.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

I love promarkers: Cupcakes

Fab'n'Funky : Yum Yum

Paperplay challenge: Photo inspiration

ABC Challenge: F is for flowers

C.R.A.F.T: pink blue and mint

Create4Fun: Use a digi stamp

Just a little reminder you still have time to enter this weeks challenge over at Michelle Perkett Studios where Jan and her mermaids would love to see your handmade flowers in their 'Floral Parade' challenge. If you don't have any of Michelle's images you can pick us some wonderful freebies at her groups on CDAC, PCP and SNR.

I hope you're having a good weekend, hopefully I'll have some pics of my creations at the encaustic art workshop to share tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to having a go, thats my kind of ironing lol

Claire xx

Halloween at Fairy Knoll!!

Hi there and Happy Friday!! This week at Fun at Fairy Knoll we have a halloween challenge for you and I've used one of Brandi's supercute Halloween images (available here) for this card.

The image is coloured with promarkers and matted on some black card with some gems added to the corners. The bps are all from Crafty Ann's black and orange collection, I thought they'd be perfect for a Halloween themed card.

The borders are cut with an EK cut and emboss punch ( I love this punch, it works great on thick card!!) and the ribbon is from my stash. The flower is made using a die from Marianne designs with some black organza ribbon from my stash.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

OSAAT : Digi stamps

Paper Playtime: Orange

Everybody Art Challenge: Halloween

The Creative cottage: Halloween

Stampin Royalty: Halloween (Spooky kooky!!)

Thanks for calling by today, I'm looking forward to seeing  your Halloween creations for our challenge this week

Claire xx

Floral Parade at MPS

Helllooooo, my third post today, I promise I'll be quiet from now on lol. This weeks challenge from Michelle Perkett Studio is Flower Parade and is hosted by Jan and her wonderful team of mermaids! They want to see your floral creations, particularly handmade flowers! Now I love making my own backgrounds and embellishments so I really enjoyed making this card.

I'm going through a real mica loving phase at the minute, unfortunately although I love mica my camera hates it with a passion lol. I'm really disappointed with this pic as the card looks so much better IRL. I've used Daydream Fantasy (available from Michelle's Etsy store - be quick as Michelle has a 50% sale on!!!!) and coloured with promarkers before dusing with mica powders (it looks blurry but its all the shimmer). The bps are from Essence of Nature cd by Artylicious punched with a MS border punch. I made the crackle background using pure gold and zuccini Ecogreen acrylic paints and pva glue and overstamped with a floral border and embossed with peanut butter EP .

The flower is a little extreme crafting lol, circles of organza heated near a candle until they curl at the edges, the centre is a button from my stash with a bow from some gorgeous autumn coloured fibres. I added some punched leaves and a creative acrylic tag stamped with the word 'friendship' to finish off.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges

Simon Says:  3 types of embellie (flower, button, acrylic tag, 2 dps and I image)

Flutter by Wednesday: Fall

ABC challenge: F is for flowers

Scrapbook sisters: Flower power

Our Creative Corner: Sketch

Crafty Pad: for a friend

Stamptacular: Buttons, flowers friendship

Before I go, I have some exciting news, there's going to be a fab blog hop at Michelle Perkett Studios - 23rd and 24th October, find out more and sign up here

Thanks for looking,

Claire xx

Another Christmas card ....

I've only just got into Whiff of Joy stamps, but I'm totally in love with them. I've used 'Confirmed Melinda' for this card and followed the sketch from this weeks Whiff of Joy Challenge

The image is coloured with promarkers, then her wings are glittered with Judikins prisma glitter. I stamped around the edges of the image with a HOTP swirl and antique linen DI and quickly embossed with some clear sparkle EP before inking the edges with turquoise versamagic ink. The two squares in the background are cuttlebugged using the music embossing folder, lightly embossed with gold EP to highlight the pattern and then inked and glimmer misted with a variety of aqua blue green inks and glimmer mists. The ribbon is from my stash and the lovely dove and holly EK border punch is from Jazzlins are are the paper flowers and the scrummy dotty glittered BP. The sentiment is a stamp from Elusive images.

I'm entering Melinda in the following challenges:

Whiff of Joy: Sketch

Tanda Teaser: Going dotty

A Spoonful of Sugar: Winter Wonderland

Thanks for popping by, I really appreciate every single comment

Claire xx