Autumn flowers for Rainbow Lady

Hi there, I'm back with my lovely Rainbow teamies again after a break for work and family stuff, and  Cynthia's theme at Rainbow Lady's Challenge Blog this week is Autumn flowers. Strangely enough we've got the most gorgeous summer weather here in the UK at the minute. The DT got to play with some fab digi stamps from our generous sponsor Glitterbabe and I chose a stunning dahlia image and a beautiful sentiment for my card.

I've made a tri shutter fold card (or whatever you call them lol) using orange bazzil card for the base and a homemade background. I created the background using A4 glossy card and alcohol inks (ginger, caramel, butterscotch and lettuce) and then dropped blending solution over the top before overstamping with a Chocolate Baroque script stamp (from the Paisley elephant themeplate). I printed the dahlia out 5 times, coloured with promarkers, cut them all out and layered them up before spraying with daffodil and peach glimmer mists. I added microbeads to the centre of the flower. I also made a tiny one layer dahlia to embellish the card too.

 (One thing to remember, when you are using microbeads, don't trip over the dog and throw them across your craft room as they go everywhere LOL).

 I cut the sentiment up and inked it with distress inks and attached the bits to the back of the tri-shutter foldy thing. I have to confess I'd planned to use the sentiment on one of the panels but it came out the wrong size. I added an acrylic tag, also coloured with alcohol inks, stamped and gold embossed a sentiment 'Just for you' and attached it with glossy accents. I added an assortment of vellum butterflies, coloured with more alcohol inks. The small butterflies were made using an Anna Griffin punch and the large one with a Marianne die. To finish off i've added some gold faux gems and some vellum leaves. Here's another pic to show the inside of the card.

I'm useless at accurate measuring and all these fancy folds just totally baffle me, I think I've gained a few more grey hairs making this card as i got all the folds and score lines done and was really proud of myself and then couldn't work out how to fold the blinking thing! It took me ages to wrestle it into submission. Never again, I think i'll stick to nice easy square cards from now on :-)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

The Stamping Boutique:  Changing of the seasons

Corrosive Challenge: die cuts/punches

Crafty Catz: Autumn

Digi Makeover: Size matters

Incy wincy: fancy folds

Marianne Design Divas: bloom and grow

Ooh La La: Punches/dies

Paper Pretties: Fall inspired

Pile it on: Fancy folds

Sentimental Sundays: Step out of your comfort zone

(fancy folds are way out of my comfort zone)

Woodware USA: Fall/autumn

Thanks for calling by today, 

Claire xx

Challenge 10 at Christmas Challenges with sketches

Well another 2 weeks have flown by and its time for a new challenge from Christmas Challenges {with sketches} and this time around we have a fab sketch from my lovely teamie Monique.

Pop over to the DT blog and check out the sketch and also find out about the fab prize on offer from our sponsor  HeinDesign

I've used a digi stamp from Pollycraft for my image, coloured with coloursoft pencils, apart from the moon which is painted with Twinkling h2os. I've added white acrylic paint with lots of glitter for the clouds and inked around the edge of the image with tumbled glass distress ink. The backing papers are all from a crafting cd that came as a freebie with a craft mag a few years ago. I've added some red ribbon with white stitches from Crafty Ribbons, some glittered die cut snowflakes and a sentiment stamped in red brilliance ink.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

2 Sisters: gingham or plaid

CD Sunday:Winter wonderland

Crafty Ribbons: anything goes

Jinglebelles Rock: Inspired by song (Suzy Snowflake)

Magical Mondays: Christmas in September

Paper Sundaes: Anything goes

Sparkles Forum: something that sparkles

Thanks for popping by today

Claire xx

Vintage at Fashionable Stamping Challenges

Hi there, we're going vintage at Fashionable Stamping Challenges this time around and as usual there's a fabulous prize up for grabs from our generous sponsor Marina of Cottage Crafts.

I've made a 6x6 card using kraft card and a gorgeous bp from Chocolate Baroque (a free download ) with faux stitching around the edges. I've used a real assortment of stamps on this card, the background is overstamped using oneof the smaller stamps from Fleurs and Parfum de Paris by Chocolate Baroque and i've used the large background stamp from the same set on the torn kraft card. This is one of my favourite background stamps as its so detailed and looks gorgeous stamped in versamark and dusted with perfect pearls, unfortunately its not showing up much in the pic.

The lady is a clarity stamp, I've had her for ages but i haven't inked her up before, she is coloured with promarkers and then her outfit is paperpieced with  blue bp for the coat and angelina fibres for her sparkly hat, gloves and dress. I used some tiny blue faux gems for her necklace. I've added a piece of folded  parchment stamped with one of Joanna Sheen's doily stamps and a fluffy white feather. I wanted to create the effect of those lovely mother of pearl buttons so I used a Lost Coast button border stamp, embossed with a blue shimmery EP and then coated with crackle accents. The needle stamp is from Crafters Companion.

The flowers are made using Ranger's kraft glassine, embossed with my trusty cuttlebug, highlighted with pale blue brilliance ink and then cut out with Crealies Flowers 12. I've added some faux pearls for the centres and added lace and velvet ribbon to finish off

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Bearly Mine: button it up

C.R.A.F.T: use parchment

Creative Craft Challenge: Buttons and bling

Digital Tuesday: People

Deep Ocean Challenge: Lace

Emerald Faerie Garden: Pearls

Gingerloft: Vintage or distressed

Hooked on Crafts: Ribbon and lace

Polka Doodles: Distress it

Wags'n'Whiskers: Lace

Thanks for calling by today, hope you're going to join our Vintage challenge. If you need some inspiration pop over and check out my teamies projects as they are amazing!!

hugs

Claire xx

New Halloween Digikits from Sarah Hurley

Hi there, I hope you're having a good weekend so far. Can you believe its nearly the end of September already? Its time to start thinking of things that go BUMP in the night and all things spooky as before we know it, Halloween will be here. I just love making Halloween projects, I think its the colours and the quirky images and embellies ... so much fun!! There are some gorgeous new digi kits available from Sarah Hurley, and I've combined elements from both Vintage Halloween and Whimsy Halloween for this card.

The cute little witch is from Whimsy Halloween and she's been coloured with Derwent coloursoft pencils. Aren't the damask bps scrummy?? They are from Vintage Halloween, matted on some black card. I've added a fun Halloween bingo ticket and the fab bottles and labels. There are some gorgeous tickets too and I though 'Potions Emporium' would be perfect for this card. To finish off I've added some flowers made with scraps of bps and crealiies dies.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Cardmad Fairy's digi days: lots of layer

Forever Night:  World of Hogwarts

Going grey with scrap creations: anything goes

Haunted House Designs: Appalling apothecary

Our Craft Lounge: Patterned paper

Simon Says Stamp: Dies or punches

The Paper Shelter: Anything goes

Top Tip tuesday: One for the kids

Thanks for calling by, pop over to Sarah Hurley's blog if you have a minute as she has a supercute FREEBIE digistamp perfect for Halloween! You still have time to enter our 'Vintage' themed challenge too so pop over to the Sarah Hurley Challenge Blog and check it out :-)

Claire xx

Around the world with Crafty Ann

Helllooooo :-) Friday again and I'm so pleased its nearly weekend as I've been run ragged all week at work. Anyway not only is it almost weekend, its time for a new challenge at Crafty Ann's Challenge Blog and the theme is 'Around the World'. I've used Crafty Ann's beautiful Peacock Fan for my focal image, one of the fab metallic frames and one of my favourite funky collection papers. You can find them all in Crafty Ann's Digi Shop, here

I printed the Peacock fan out on to printable acetate and used a quickie glue pen to add aqua turquoise and a little purple glitter to the peacocks. One it was dry i used double sided adhesive sheet on the back of the image and used gilding flakes all over the design. 

I printed the metallic frame out and cut it out and popped it up on 3d foam pads to frame the fan. (Check out Crafty Ann's shop as all the yummy metallic range is on offer until the end of September so be quick as they are buy one get one free!!

I used a peacock feather rubber stamp from Chocolate Baroque embossed in gold around the edge of the bp and then matted it on gold mirri card.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Crafty Boots: things with wings

Daisy doodles: embossing

Digistamps 4 Joy: Anything goes

Little Red Wagon: repeat a stamped image

Papertake weekly: creature comforts

Shopping our stash: No colouring allowed

Sisterhood of Crafters for the birds: 

Southern Girls: anything goes

The Paper Shelter: anything goes

Don't forget to check out my teamies beautiful projects,  I'm sure they'll inspire you to travel around the world with us :-) 

Thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Vintage Challenge at Sarah Hurley Challenge Blog

Hi there, how very exciting ... its time for my first DT project for Sarah Hurley and the theme for our challenge is 'Vintage'. This time I haven't used Sarah's fabby images as we have a sponsor, Altered Expressions and there are 3 gift certificates up for grabs!! I've used images from the gorgeous 'Fairy Tales - Alice in Wonderland Collage Sheet for this wall hanging.

 

I've used some oval cut out shapes that my friend was throwing out, now I couldn't see them go to waste so I nabbed them and as they are pretty thin card I stuck 3 together as a base for my project. I stamped a text background in red and black distress inks and then stamped small hearts, diamonds, clubs and spades in versamark and embossed with clear EP. I divided the base into four and sponged red ink in the top right corner and back in the bottom left corner. I used versamark and gold ep around the edges

I made frames for the 3 images using nesties and gave them a crackle finish using red/black acrylic paint, watered down pva glue and ivory acrylic paint. I also embossed the images with clear UTEE for some shine.

I made the twisted roses from strips from a canvas roll (a bargain from The Works), painted them with ivory acrylic paint, distressed with tea dye distress ink and spattered them with red ink to look like splashes of paint.

To finish off I added some black die cut leaves a 'Queen of Hearts' playing card peeping out of the back. To hang it up, i added a loop made from red ribbon with a border of white hearts.

I'm entering my Alice project in the following challenges:

Crafty Emma's Challenge: embellish me more

(I've used flowers, leaves, playing card and die cut frames)

The Altered Alice: Text as nonsense

OOh La La: die cuts/punches

Scrappy Frogs: Vintage

Sir Stampalot: Frame it

Totally Gorjuss: Nothing square about me

Thanks for calling by, check out the challenge blog and see the gorgeous projects by my lovely new teamies and of course don't forget to join us for our fab-u-lous vintage themed challenge 

hugs

Claire xx

A few cards from the weekend

I don't know about you but I often get inspiration from a challenge, make the card and then don't get round to blogging it in time. I had a few hours crafting on Saturday while hubby was at the football (don't you just LOVE the footie season lol) so I thought I'd better blog the results or before I know it another week will have gone by. Anyway this may be a long post so grab a cuppa and a chocolate biscuit (or two) and make yourself comfy

My first card, is inspired by Autumn colours and uses a gorgeous digistamp from Crafts and Me called 'Shitake and Oregano'. 

I coloured the image with coloursoft pencils, cut out with nesties labels 11 and matted on copper mirri card. The bp is one of my all time favourites from Artylicious Essence of Nature Cd. The sentiment is  a stamp from the coordinating Essence of Nature themeplate from Chocolate Baroque. I've added some gorgeous floral ribbon from Crafty Ribbons and some shimmery heart shaped beads attached with some gold/orange braid. I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Crafts and Me: add a heart

Crafty Purple Frog: Fall into Fall

Raise the Bar: Leave Summer

Really Reasonable Ribbon: Autumn

My next card tonight features an image from Teddy Bo, its the first time i've used one of these cute little guys but it certainly won't be the last. My BILs birthday is coming up soon and as he's been very good and lost loads of weight, this cute Teddy Bo 048 'Weight Watching' was just the job for his birthday card.

I coloured the image with promarkers, the bps are a download from Jessica Sprague.com, Circa 1934. I've used black soot distress ink around the edges and black card to mat and layer. The sentiment is a stamp from Chocolate Baroque and as it looked a little bare (or should I say bear lol) I added a flower  and swirls created using Marianne dies, a black button and some red embroidery floss. I don't usually use flowers on blokey cards but this flower always reminds me of lego so I thought it would be ok. 

I'm entering weight watching Teddy Bo in the following challenges:

Teddy Bo Top tips: colouring with promarkers

 (check out the fab tutorial, i found it really useful as I do struggle with colouring animals)

Delicious Doodles: Cute as a button

Prairie Fairy Friday: snips and snails and puppy dogs tails

The Crazy Challenge: men only

Dream Valley Challenge: buttons

and my final card for today was inspired by the challenge at Polka Doodles where the theme is 'whiteout'.

My background is white card using a couple of different cuttlebug embossing folders. The sentiment is a stamp from Chocolate Baroque, stamped with memento tuxedo balack and die cut with a nestie labels 4. I've added white lace, ribbon, a white feather, a spray of pearl beads and some sparkly faux gems.

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

2 Sisters: lets get sentimental

Kaboodle Doodles: lots of layers

Little Claire's : black and white

Stamptacular Sunday: Just saying

Thanks for popping by today,

hugs

Claire xx

Fairy Kiki

Hi there folks, I'm working from home today so I'm making the most of my lunchbreak to post a card I made for one of my friends birthdays a couple of weeks ago. She loves fairies so I used the supercute 'Fairy Kiki' from Mo Manning for this card. I'm pretty new to Mo's images but I really love this little fairy she is adorable, so adorable in fact that Sheena loved her card and is planning on having a go at making some herself :-)

Its an 8x8 card and the bp is from Raspberry Road Designs. I've coloured Fairy Kiki with promarkers and added a little glitter to her wings. The butterfly is die cut using a Marianne die and the sentiment is from Whimsy Stamps. The faux postage sentments are gorgeous and the little die to cut them out is fab. To finish off I've added some hot pink ribbon from Crafty Ribbons to pick out the roses in the bp and some faux gemstones.

I'm entering Fairy Kiki in the following challenges:

Aly's Sunday Challenge: Add a bow

Bronte and Bella's Challenge: Celebration

Corrosive challenge: punches and/or diecuts

Crafty Ribbons: Anything goes

Creatalicious: anything goes

Flutter by Wednesday: open challenge with butterfly, angel or fairy

Little Miss Muffett: Things with wings

Marianne Design Divas: Bloom and grow

One stop craft challenge: girlie

The Crafty Pad: sparkly gems

The Paper Shelter: Fairies and elves

There's magic in the air: someone special

I don't seem to have a lot of time for blogging at the minute with so much happening at work. poorlies in the family and I'm still without my laptop. Having to drag a 21 year old off facebook to check my emails or do some blogging is no fun believe me lol. Hopefully poor lappy will be back from the puter hospital with a clean bill of health very soon, apparently he was on the workbench on Saturday( I should think so too, he's been there for nearly 3 weeks!!)

Anyway thanks for popping by, I'd better get back to work now

hugs

Claire xx

Challenge 9 at Christmas Challenges {with sketches}

Hi there, time for a another challenge at Christmas Challenges {with sketches}, I can't believe its the middle of September already. At this rate it won't be long until Christmas (eeeek). This time our sketch is from my lovely teamie Marion, pop over to the challenge blog and check it out.  

We also have a fabby prize on offer from our generous sponsor Inky Impressions

My card is made using scraps of backing paper from my stash, distressed with a craft knife and  matted on red pearl card. The main image is a stamp by Stampavie, I painted the image with distress ink and added a little glitter to the leaves but it isn't showing in the photo. The sentiment, buttons and ribbon are from my stash.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Christmas Cards all year round: use things over a year old

Christmas Card Challenges: vintage

Clearly Inspired: patterned papers

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge: swirls (embossed swirls on the bp)

Crafty Ribbons: Festive Cheer in September

I did it creations: Anything goes

Paper Creations Ink: vintage/distressed

Pile it on: Layer it

Stamp Something: Anything goes

Totally Papercrafts: cute with buttons

Woodware USA: Christmas, holiday or winter themed cards

Thanks for visiting today. I hope you're going to join us and make another card for your Christmas box, if you're stuck for ideas pop over to the challenge blog as my teamies have come up with some gorgeous cards again this time

hugs

Claire xx

Nature Table

Hi there, its definitely feeling like Autumn here at the minute although I'm not complaining as so far we seem to have escaped the worst of the weather. We've had a lovely sunny day but its blowing a gale and the leaves are starting to fall from the trees. Anyway I was inspired to create an Autumn themed card using stamps from Chocolate Baroque.

. The mushrooms and conkers are from Nature table themeplate, I stamped the images, masking them to overlap them slightly. I then masked them to brayer the sunny background  (using yellow and oranges) and stamp the grasses in the background. The grasses are from Autumn Hedgerow themeplate. The images were then coloured with promarkers and I used an inksentials white pen for some highlights and to fill in the ....... oooh I can't remember what those papery grasses are called. If you can remember please leave a comment to let me know as it will really annoy me now lol.

 I didn't want to add lots of embellies so I simply used dark green silk card and copper mirri to mat and layer the main image.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

By the cute and girly: all things bright and beautiful

Craft us Crazy: Autumn hues or favourite embellies

Crazy 4 Challenges: colour inspiration

Everybody Art Challenge: autumn

Gingerloft: Create a sky

OSAAT: Anything goes

Paperplay: 2 or more stamped images

Polkadoodles: Setting the scene

The Crafty Pad: Goodbye summer

Thanks for popping by today

hugs

Claire xx

Exciting news and some paint fusion

Hi there, I'm usually a bit down in the dumps on a Sunday evening, thinking about going back to work but not today. I've got tomorrow off work as its hubby's birthday and I've also had some exciting news too :-)  I'm joining the mega talented Sarah Hurley's DT!! 

I was over the moon when  Sarah invited me to join her fabby friendly team, and in fact  I'm still doing a happy dance lol. 

Anyway I've been busy making some top secret projects this weekend (I have more exciting news to come lol) so I thought I'd share of my 'paint fusioned' bath panel. Apols for the truly terrible photo, my bathroom is tiny and I had to be a contortionist to get this photo lol. After some work in the bathroom, the pine veneer came off the panel leaving an mdf blank so rather than fork out for a new one I decided to recycle it with stamps and paint.

I used willow green and cream emulsion with watered down pva glue for the background and then used Sheena Douglass'  'Berries' stamps with black stazon to set out the design. I've used assorted acrylic paints from my stash - one tip, if you decide to have a go at this, take the bath panel out before you paint it :-) I was walking like a little old lady for a week after tying myself in knots to paint this LOL. Once the paint was dry, I rubbed gold rub'n'buff around the mouldings and then gave the whole thing 5 coats of satin varnish.

I'm entering my bath panel in the latest Craft Room Challenge which is 'Home decor'

Thanks for visiting today, I hope my UK blogging buddies are bunkered up away from the bad weather we're expecting and I'm sending hugs to those across the water on the anniversary of 9/11, such an emotional day for everyone  but even more so for those caught up in the tragedy and their families

Claire xx

Make a tag at FSC

Hi there folks, its time for a new challenge at Fashionable Stamping challenges and this time our theme is 'Make  a Tag'. As always we have a great prize from the lovely Marina at Cottage Crafts up for grabs so pop over to the challenge blog and check it out :-)

For my tag, I've used some new stamps ' The Art of Chess' from Chocolate Baroque. I used post its to mask squares to create the background using black versafine swiped across the alternate squares. The edges are embossed with gold EP. The focal image is stamped on acetate using black stazon, double sided adhesive film and then gilding flakes added to the back. I've used the same technique for some of the smaller chess pieces and the other are embossed in black on ivory card. I've also triple embossed one of the larger chess pieces. I've added gold and red ribbon, stamping one of the sentiments on the ribbon. It reads 'Every pawn is a potential Queen'. I die cut the flowers using Crealies 18 and scraps of black and red card stamped with text and added black gems to the centres.

I'm entering this tag in the following challenges:

Cards for men: G is for ..... gilding flakes

Crafty Boots: Anything goes

Craft your days away: Make your own flowers

Crafty Creations: Anything but a square

Creative Belli: Acetate or vellum

Creative Card Crew: anything goes

I brake for challenges: backgrounds

Incy Wincy: make your own flowers

Paperplay: 2 or more stamped images

Ribbon Carousel: anything goes

The Rubber Cafe: no designer papers

Totally Gorjuss: Its a man thing

Woodware USA : Anything goes

 If you have a little time to spare, call in and check out my teamies gorgeous creations for our 'Make a Tag' challenge as they've really come up with some stunning projects again this time.

Claire xx

Make yourself uncomfortable at Crafty Ann's

Hi there, I can't believe its over a week since I blogged anything. My only excuse is that chaos still reigns at work and my laptop is very poorly and has gone to puter hospital, hopefully to be discharged with a clean bill of health soon lol. Anyway today its time for a new challenge over at Crafty Ann's Challenge Blog and this time around our theme is 'Make Yourself Uncomfortable' so we want to see you step out of your comfort zone in some way, maybe with a colour combo you don't usually use or as I've done try a different style or technique.

Now I'm not a computer boffin at all and really struggle with digital crafting, I'm pretty much a click and print girl so I decided to have a bash at digital crafting for my DT project. I've used a gold backing paper, frame and poinsettia script image, all from Crafty Ann's  gorgeous new metallics range (check them out here). I faffed around for ages resizing and layering them in paint.net and printed the finished image out twice. I cut the frame and poinsettia out and layered them up with silicone glue, added some beaded trim from my stash, ribbon from Crafty Ribbons and one of Crafty Ann's ticket sentiments. To finish off I added some dew drops attached with gold stickles for some sparkle, you've got to have a bit of sparkle on a christmas card lol. Its not often I made a card without any colouring or inking at all so this is well out of my comfort zone 

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Christmas Inspirations: glitter

Crafting when we can: do it your own way

Crafty Ribbons: Festive cheer in September

Fresh Brewed : something new

Thanks for calling by today, sorry I haven't been able to do much blog hopping over the last couple of week but as soon as i get my lappy back i'll try and catch up 

Claire xx

Let's Ink It Up is back!!!!

OOH what exciting news, I haven't been around much this week due to work and other stuff but how exciting to see that Suzanne is restarting Let's Ink It Up and is having a DT call!!!

It sounds like Suzanne has been very busy organising the relaunch of Let's Ink It Up and it also sounds like  she has some very exciting things up her sleeve :-) Suzanne is a real star, relaunching LIIU while she is undergoing her own treatment and her mum is very poorly too

So if you are a rubber stamper and want the chance to join Suzanne's fab new team pop over to Let's Ink It Up and check out the details for the DT call

hugs

Claire xx