Swirls of Summer

Hi there, phew its been a real scorcher here today and unfortunately I was stuck at work so i couldn't enjoy our mini heatwave. Its going to be a lot cooler tomorrow apparently though so hopefully I won't melt at work. Anyway today's card uses a Sweet Pea Stamp by ching chou kuik called Coral Immersion and a background inspired by this weeks challenge from Sweet Pea Stampers which is 'Swirls of Summer'

The image is coloured with promarkers and has lots of glamour dust highlights although they haven't shown up too well in the photo

I made the background using memento inks and a direct to paper technique, and sprayed the paper with lots of water to blend the inks ( I used New Sprout and Summer Sky). One it was dry i overstamped with a gorgeous swirly stamp from Chocolate Baroque (from the Decadent Brocade stamp sheet) with the same inks. I then used the same stamp with Bundled Sage distress ink. I used a viva pearl pen to add some tiny faux pearls in the corners and added some lace and aqua velvet ribbon  from my stash. The flowers (sponged with more bundled sage) are from Crafty Emma's as are the pearls, the glamour dusted swirls are cricut corners cut in half and popped under the flowers.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Crafty Purple Frog: Pearls and swirls

Creative Craft challenge: make your own backing paper

Dream Valley: ribbon

In a sweet pea dream: Lace

Sugar Creek Hollow: Tic Tac Toe ( my line is glitter flowers and pearls)

Totally Gorjuss: ribbons and lace

Thanks for visiting today. I hope you've had a good Monday :-)

Claire xx

On the beach

Hi, I'm having a lovely day crafting this morning and 'paint fusioning' the bath panel this afternoon. I'll try and post a pic when its done, I wish i'd done it before it was put back in as i've had to be a bit of a contortionist to paint some of the leaves lol. Anyway here's a summery scene created with lots of paint, various odds and ends from the recycling box and a lovely stamp from Joanna Sheen.

I made the crackle background using emulsion paint and pva glue, distressed with vintage photo distress ink. I painted the image with distress inks and added some white acrylic paint, stickles and microbeads for the seafoam. You can see the effect better on this pic.

The image is distressed with Tea Dye and Vintage photo distress inks, its matted on another crackle background edged with distress EP (broken china I think). I've added some recycled packaging to embellish the card, corrugated card embossed with more distress EP, some twine from the garden shed and some netting. The netting was a really fluorescent yellow but it coloured nicely with alcohol inks. To finish off I added some shells from my stash.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Ambers Crafts'n'stuff: Summer

Crafting for all Seasons: Summer

Craft us Crazy: Summer theme (or red white and blue)

Creative Craft Challenge: Make your own bps

Delightful Challenges: Fun in the sun

Gingersnap Creations Spicy Supply GC106: Packaging materials

Oldie but Goodie: Inspired by a country (my card is inspired by a british beach  and i've had these stamps for years)

Paper Creations Ink : Beach theme

Paper Shelter: fun in the sun

Papertake Weekly: Here comes the sun

the Paper Variety: Summer

Top Tip Tuesday: cross something (twine)

Wags'n'Whiskers: Summertime

Its certainly been a day for the beach today, its scorching hot here and forecast even hotter tomorrow so my little office will be like a furnace. I hope you're enjoying some sunshine too

Thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Cobblers!

Good morning, well the heatwave is here and its a lovely day so i'm going to have a few hours relaxing in the garden today :-)

 But first i wanted to share these shoes I've been making with a fab free template from Chocolate Baroque.   Glenda and the Chocolate Baroque DT made some gorgeous samples and really inspired me to have a play and I ended up making 3 shoes (so far lol)

The shoe on the left is made using a bp from one of my Graphicus Guild paper packs, I've been hoarding them for ages but every so often i am brave enough to actually cut into one lol. I've made this one open toes and omitted the heel. I added some black ric rac trim to the front of the shoe and an ankle strap. I used some trim I got from our local Scrap Store before it closed down for the ankle strap, I do miss that shop. It was a real Aladdins cave of 'stuff', allsorts of bits and pieces that local companies would have thrown out and you could get a big basket full for a fiver!! Anyway the black trim is, I think , actually bra strap elastic lol, its quite pretty and I've got loads of it so i thought it would be perfect for this show. The large flower on the front is stamped and embossed with copper EP using one of the flowers from Chocolate Baroque 'Diamante Delight's themeplate. Its painted with H2Os and the petals curled a little and attached to the front of the shoe.

The middle shoe is also made with one of my GG papers, over stamped with a small rose stamp from the Harlequin Rose stamp sheet. I rounded the toe on this shoe and added a piece cut with a nestie on the front to mount the grungepaper roses. I've added  some peach ribbon from my stash, a copper tassel and some leaves stamped on acetate and glittered on the reverse (also using  a stamp from Diamante Delights). I also made a tag to go with this shoe, again using stamps from Harlequin Rose.

The cream shoe was my first attempt, its made with a free bp download from Chocolate Baroque and stamped using stamps from the Paisley Elephant stamp sheet and embossed with gold EP. I added cream ribbon, beige lace and gold trim to finish off.

I'm entering my shoes in the following challenges:

Art Impressions Stamps: Handmade flowers (middle shoe)

Crafty Emma's Challenge: Anything but a square

ECP challenge: Gold

If the shoe fits: Roses (middle shoe)

Our Creative Corner: Your style

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge: Embossing

Sweet Stampin Challenge: something old, something new (I've used a new

shoe template and i've had the stamps for years)

Totally Gorjuss: ribbon and lace (right shoe)

Thanks for calling by today

hugs

Claire xx

Another Parasol

Hi there, the weather doesn't know what to do here this morning so I'm not sure if I should call this an umbrella or a parasol lol. It was pouring with rain first thing but now the sun is shining and we're forecast a heat wave later :-) . Life's so hectic its nice sometimes just to spend a bit of time  playing in my craft room. Here's another Parasol Decor Plate (from CaroLine's Rubber Stamps, have a look here as Caroline has some gorgeous new shapes in and they are perfect for painting) 

I used Wilkinson's emulsion tester pots for the background and started with a base coat of dark brown. One that was dry I added a layer of watered down pva glue, gave it a blast with my heat gun and then applied a layer of magnolia emulsion paint. I love making these crackle backgrounds, such messy fun :-)

I stamped the leaves first using stamps from Sheena Douglass 'Berries' Stamp set. I painted the leaves and then stamped and painted the flowers and berries. I've used an assortment of acrylic paints from my stash (Pebeo and Eco-green mainly). Once the paint was thoroughly dry I used gold embossing powder around the edges and then triple embossed the tip of the parasol and the handle with more gold EP. While the last layer of EP was still hot I stamped in to it with a Chocolate Baroque swirly stamp. 

I'm entering this parasol in the following challenges:

Everybody Art Challenge: Anything goes

Inspire Me Fridays: Anything goes

Stampin for the weekend: My favourite things (paint and decor plates)

Crafty Emma's Challenge blog: Anything but square

Scrapbook Sisters: Anything goes

Ruby's Rainbow: Flowers

Diva's By Design: anything but a card

Southern Girls: Anything goes

I hope the sun is shining for you today. I'm hoping to get lots of crafty time this weekend although I'm thinking about paint fusioning the bath panel (If I dare lol) 

Thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Get ready for Christmas at Christmas Challenges {with sketches}

Where on earth is this year going? I can't believe it was the longest day yesterday ... before we know it Christmas will be here and its never to early to start your Christmas cards. Our latest challenge at Christmas Challenges {with sketches] is a great way to get ahead with your Christmas cards and this time we have a gorgeous sketch from my lovely teamie Nicole to work with. I really enjoyed making my DT card which feature a really stunning digi stamp from Crafts and Me called 'Twiglight'. Its not necessarily a Christmas image but I thought she would be a lovely Christmas angel.

Before I go on the card deets, I'm sure you want to know about our fab sponsor for this fortnights challenge, 'Stempelstudio'  are sponsoring our latest challenge so pop over to the challenge blog and find out about the great prize and check out Nicole's gorgeous sketch too :-)

I've coloured Twilight with promarkers and added glamour dust to her wings and the trim on her dress. After cutting her out carefully, i've matted her onto a pretty doiley. The bp is from Raspberry Road Designs and I've added 3 parchment squares stamped with a Joanna Sheen doiley stamp and edged with stickles. The sentiment is also from Joanna Sheen. To finish the card off I've added some faux pearls, white seam binding ribbon, a die cut snowflake and a rose from WOC.  I've struggled to get a decent pic but this photo shows a little more of the detail and is a truer colour than the larger pic. 

I'm entering Twilight (oops I keep typing Twiglet for some reason lol) in the following challenges:

Craft Your days away: Monochrome

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge:  christmas wings

Corrosive Challenge: Ribbons and bows

Delicious Doodles: things that flutter

Hooked on Craft : Anything goes

Jingle Belles: Bundled up (3 or more layers)

Sweet Stampin: Things with wings

One Stitch at a Time: Things with wings

Polkadoodles: All of a flutter

Sentimental Sundays: Summery or Sparkly and shimmery 

Thanks for visiting today :-)

Claire xx

All at sea

Ahoy me hearties :-) Today's card is  a summery sea scene using some new stamps I got recently from Chocolate Baroque. I'd wanted these stamps for ages and couldn't resist when I found they were on special offer. I really wanted to try creating a reflection with promarkers and I'm quite pleased with the result.

I stamped the main image (from the Seashell cottage themeplate) on to coated cardstock,  masked the image and a sun to brayer the sky and then brayered the sea using Waterfall Big& Juicy inkpad. I coloured the image with promarkers and used the same shades and a blender pen to add the reflection in the sea. I used an inksentials white pen to create the waves around the posts. I used sea green and cool grey 1 promarkers to add a reflection of the water to the seagulls' bellies. To finish off I stamped the sentiment in black versafine and embossed the anchor (also from Seashell Cottage) with gold ep. The finished scene is edged with a gold krylon pen and matted on some navy card.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

A Spoon Full of Sugar: Splish splash

Deep Ocean Challenge: anything goes (plus optional sea image)

Make it colourful: Colour cast/reflection

Paperplay: at the beach

Sparkles Forum: At the beach

Thanks for visiting today. 

Claire xx

Mr and Mrs

Hi there, oooh its lovely to be able to find some time to play in my craftroom. I don't know about you but i'm terrible for starting loads of projects and not finishing them. I did manage to finish this wedding card using stamps from Chocolate Baroque

As soon as I saw this beautiful bride stamp I thought she would be perfect with the little church from the Village Life themeplate. I stamped the church on encaustic art card, masked it and then stamped in the trees (from the same themeplate) I brayered the sky and the drive and stamped some grasses in the foreground using stamps from one of the Design-a-Tree A6 themeplates. The church and trees were coloured with promarkers. Its such a different technique colouring on this coated cardstock, the colours don't blend as well and you have to be careful not to get too much ink on the card too.

 The bride is from the 'Wedding Belle' sheet of stamps. I stamped her  on card and coloured her skin and hair with promarkers and added glamour dust to her veil. The bride's dress is left plain on  the stamp so it really lends itself to paperpiecing. I took inspiration from the Crafty Cardmakers Spotlight Challenge  where the theme is parchment and decided to have a go at a parchment wedding dress. I stamped the bride on parchment and embossed with white ep and then stamped some of the leafy swirls from the same stamp set over her dress and again embossed with white EP. I cut the dress out and embossed the back with an embossing tool to try and create some folds in the skirt. Now I'm a total beginner with parchment but i'll definitely use this technique again as it gave the dress a really lovely shape so once i'd attached it to the image it has a lovely 3d effect. To finish the card off I stamped the sentiment (also from Wedding Belle) and embossed with gold EP and used some gold mirri to mat the scene.

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

ABC Challenge :W is for weddings

Fairy Fun Friday: weddings

Moving along with the times: Inspired by a song (MR and Mrs)

Passion for promarkers: here comes the bride

Thanks for visiting today, now I'd better get on with some more of those unfinished cards in my craftroom. Have a good weekend

Claire xx

Christmas in June at Crafty Ann's

Hi there  I'm  feeling very organised posting a Christmas card in June lol. Our latest challenge at Crafty Ann's Challenge Blog is just that ... Christmas in June so its a great chance to get ahead and avoid the December panic ;-)

I've used one of Crafty Ann's beautiful poinsettia bps and her supercute 'Cracker Teddy' image for this card. The image is coloured with promarkers and has a little polar white flowersoft and some glamour dust highlights. I've used silver glitter card for matting and layering and made a little concertina flower from a scrap of  one of Crafty Anns' tartan bps. The poinsettia bp is highlighted with a quickie glue pen and more glamour dust and I've added some red organza ribbon to finish off. You can find the beautiful papers and Cracker Teddy in Ann's store here

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Christmas Cards All Year Round: Anything goes

Delightful challenges: Anything goes

Going Grey with Scrap Creations: Anything goes

Top Tip Tuesday: Open Challenge

Thanks for popping by today, 

Claire xx

Paint fusion parasol

Hello my blogging buddies, sorry my blog has been less than inspiring lately but sometime life gets in the way of crafting although I think we're getting back to normal now. I'm still in a bit of a muddle at home but managed to have a play with my paint fusion goodies and eventually came up with this.

I say eventually as this was about my 4th attempt lol. The gorgeous parasol shape is from Caroline's Rubber stamps, they are a great size for painting on and great value too. I love Carolines decor plates for painting on and this is the first time I've had a play with the parasol and its going to be one of my favourites :-)

The board has withstood layers and layers of paint beautifully. I made a crackle background and tried to paint the paint fusion roses but they looked awful  so I painted another crackle background and more roses ... it still looked awful so I tried again. Now I'm not a quitter but after my third attempt I decided to have a break from the roses and painted another crackle background, I was having a little hop around some of my favourite blogs for some inspiration and as soon as I saw the gorgeous photo inspiration from Sir Stampalot for this months challenge I decided to use my favourite poppies and daisies stamps and got a much better result. I've used a mixture of pebeo and eco green acylic paints for the flowers, the base is emulsion paint and vpa glue and I used a clear satin topcoat. I used gold utee to emboss around the edges and also on the handles and the tip of the parasol - I used 3 layers for these and used a Chocolate Baroque stamp to create the texture. 

I'm entering my parasol in the following challenges:

By the Cute and Girly: In the garden

Cupcake Craftroom: flowers and leaves

Kaboodle Doodles: floral showcase

Sir Stampalot: photo inspiration

Stamping Scrapping Challenge Central: embossing

My craftroom is still rather cluttered from our recent leaky pipes but when I find my box of tassels I think a nice red tassel on the handle will finish this off perfectly.

Thanks for visiting 

hugs

Claire xx

A new challenge at Christmas Challenges {with sketches}

Hi there this year is certainly whizzing by, can you believe its June already?? It'll soon be Christmas at this rate so why not think about getting ahead with your Christmas cards and join us for our second challenge at Christmas Challenges {with sketches}? This time around we have a wonderful sketch by the lovely Marion which was a real pleasure to work with, pop over to the challenge blog and check it out and the beautiful samples by the rest of the DT too.

There's  a wonderful prize from Judikins, our lucky winner will recieve a selection of gorgeous stamps! Hows that for a wonderful prize? I must admit I don't have many Judikins stamps but I couldn't manage without their eclipse masking tape and prisma glitter which is the most sparkly glitter I've ever seen

Anyway back to my card, and before i start apologies for the poor quality picture. i love pale blue and red for Christmas cards, its one of my favourite colour combinations so i've used papers from a cd that was free with a craft magazine ages ago and matted them on red card. The sentiment is a stamp from Chocolate Baroque, stamped on a creative acrylic tag with red stazon. The ribbon is from Crafty Ribbons and the snow flakes are die cuts liberally coated with Judikins prisma glitter. The main image is 'Bundled up Cooper' from Paper Pretties, i stamped him on watercolour paper and coloured him  with distress inks and added a little more prisma glitter to the snowflakes.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Bah Humbug: surprise! (Choose your own theme, mine is pale blue and red OR something that contains a I'm sure its a surprise to the ladies of Humbug Hall that I've entered  as i've been awol for the last few weeks lol)

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge: wintertime blues

Papertake Weekly: Anything goes

Well I'm still rather upside down after our recent plumbing problems (i always giggle when i say that lol) and I haven't had a good crafting fix for a while but hopefully by the time this posts I should have a new bathroom floor down so that will be another job done. 

Its been beautiful weather here in my little corner of the UK,  but don't be fooled ...

it won't be long til Christmas  :-)

Claire xx

I'm late, I'm late ....

Hi folks, I seem to have been awol for a while as i've had loads of problems at work and at home, not to mention two water leaks from the central heating and a house that looks like a disaster area. The plumber did the usual head shaking, sharp intake of breath and has warned they may be more to come as the water will look for another escape route .... now where are my wellies?? The house is going to take a while to put right and I've had to step down from my weekly DTs as I'm going to have to ration my crafting time until I get the house put back to something like normal. Anyway, a bit late in the day but here is my DT card for Crafty Ann's Challenge where Ann has set the theme of:

 Use more than one image

I've combined Ann's gorgeous Aga image with this cute little Tilda for my card. Both images are coloured with promarkers. I've used one of Crafty Ann's lovely polished stone backing papers and added a heart shaped doiley,some lace, gingham ribbon and flowers from my stash. The ticket sentiment is also from Crafty Ann's, check out Crafty Ann's Digi Shop here.

Apologies if I haven't visited your blogs or replied to emails, I'm hoping to catch up over the weekend. hope you have a good one

hugs

Claire xx