Those magnificent men in their flying machines....

Hi there, more inky fun with the new Steampunkery stamps from Chocolate Baroque. This is a pretty simple card with a distress stain sky but unfortunately the photo is dreadful and hasn't picked up the cloudy sky at all. I'll try again with another card as picket fence distress stain makes the most gorgeous clouds :-)

I used watercolour paper for the background, misting with water and then adding lots of faded jeans distress stain with a little chipped sapphire around the edges. I misted again with water and while wet I used kitchen roll to mop up some of the ink in a cloud shape. I gave it a quick blast with my heat gun and then added lots of picket fence distress stain to the 'clouds' and misted with water. The picket fence blends in and give a lovely feathery effect, perfect for a cloudy sky.

The image is stamped with versamark and embossed with WOW gold embossing powder and coloured with distress markers. I've decoupaged the image to give it a bit of depth.

The sentiment is computer generated and distressed with vintage photo distress ink. As soon as I saw this sheet of stamps I started singing 'Those magnificent men in their flying machines, ....." and couldn't stop  singing it.  No wonder its been raining for the past few weeks lol. Apologies to those who are now singing it to themselves, its one of those tunes that just gets in your head :-)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Here come the boys: Metal and/or embossing

Made especially for you: Heat embossing

Tanda Stamps: splish splash splat

Make sure you check out the Chocolate Baroque DT blog as my talented teamies have created some stunning projects with these stamps. 

After the ginormous vets bills over the past few weeks I'm so pleased payday is here at last. I'm heading over to Chocolate Baroque for a little crafty treat as I really NEED some inky goodies. Our poorly dog Mia is plodding on, still enjoying her food and wagging her tail so although her prognosis isn't good at least she's happy at the minute and worth every penny of those pesky vets bills :-) Thanks for visiting today

Claire xx

A new mobile phone?

Good morning, isn't it lovely to get up and not have to rush off to work? We even managed  a whole day without torrential rain yesterday and I got some gardening done. Today we're nipping to the garden centre to get a few plants (and perhaps some crafty treats too lol). Anyway back to business, todays card is a sample made using some scrummy new stamps, Steampunkery and Steampunk travel from Chocolate Baroque

I've used Derwent pencils to colour the image and popped a die cut aperture over the top before matting on some kraft card. The lacey cogs border was also stamped on kraft. I used the digital backing paper 'Edwardian Gentlemen' and inked over with vintage photo distress ink using the Crafters Workshop 'Gears' template. In the opposite corners I used the same template with embossing  paste, brushed over with mica powder for a metallic look. I added some brown velvet ribbon and a lovely little lock brad to finish off.

                                 I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
                                 Chocolate Coffee and Cards: Coffee and cream

Hiding in my craftroom: Embossing

Hotshot Crafts: distress ink

                                                      Incy wincy: anything goes
                                                    My Mum's Craft Shop: boys
                                                        Paper Play: use a die
                          Scrappy Frogs: celebrate men + 2 embellishments (ribbon and lock)
                                           The Squirrel and the fox : Make it sparkle
                                                 Wags and Whiskers: Use kraft

                                                     Thanks for visiting today,

                                                                   Claire xx

Anything goes at PanPastel UK

Hi there, Sunday already and June is nearly over and we still haven't seen much sign of summer here. Its tipping down with rain again today but it will be nice and dry in my craftroom :-) We've got the Olympic torch coming through the town this week so we could do with some sunshine. Anyway its time for a new challenge at PanPastel UK and this week our theme is an easy one, 'Anything goes'. 

For my card I've decided to make a summer scene so I started with a  background with assorted shades of green pans and stamped with a lovely foliage stamp from Chocolate Baroque (Woodland Dreams themeplate) using green distress inks. I created the main image using ultramarine blue and tint for the sky and a mixture of greens for the hills. The tree stamps are from the same themeplate stamped with Memento Rich Cocoa and coloured with panpastels. The cloud stamps are from Indigo blu, stamped with Memento London Fog and then I used a pencil eraser to remove the blue from the clouds. The sentiment is also from Indigo blu and the scrummy brown velvet ribbon is from my stash. I have a bit of a thing for brown velvet ribbon, I just love it and tend to hoard it rather than use it so I was very brave cutting it for this card lol.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

2 sisters: anything goes

Charisma Cardz: summer

Deep Ocean: welcome summer

Paper Shelter: Outdoors

Don't forget you don't have to use PanPastels to enter our challenge, but of course we love it when you do. If you're our lucky winner you'll receive a fab PanPastel trial set from our lovely sponsor Berni, from Your Creativity Store!

Right, I'd better go and do the ironing. Don't I lead an exciting life lol

Thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Steampunk beetle

Hi there, phew weekend at last and now I've got a whole week off work to play in my craft room. I certainly had a lot of fun making this card using the fab new stamps from Chocolate Baroque. There are two newly released sets, Steampunkery and Steampunk Travels and I love them, they have some gorgeous images and some really fun sentiments too. 

I've used lots of different products and really enjoyed messing around with PanPastels, H20s, mica powders and generally getting messy, if you want the details of the techniques I've used pop over to the Chocolate Baroque DT Blog to find out more

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Crafting for all seasons: For men

Desmet Designs: for men and boys

My Mums Craft Shop: boys

Simon says stamp and show: A bit of brown

I'm really looking forward to my week off work, its been soooooo busy at work for the last few weeks I can't wait to slow down and relax and of course catch up with all my blogland friends.

Thanks for popping by 

Claire xx

Memories at Crafty Ann's

Good morning :-) I'm soooo pleased its Friday, well I should say I'll be pleased when its Friday night as our big inspection at work will be over and I'll have finished work for my week off yippppppeeeeee!! Our challenge theme at Crafty Ann's this time around is 'Memories are made of this' so i've gone for a vintage theme although of course you could scrapbook some memories. Our lucky winner will receive a lovely prize from Crafty Ann's Digi Shop.

I've had some printer problems but fortunately I'd got some of Crafty Ann's scrummy 'Cream Dream' papers printed out ready so I used them along with a beautiful vintage girl stamp, 'Mady' by Scrolls work stamps that came with lots of goodies in Paula's candy (aren't I a lucky girl??)

The image is stamped and layered up over some beautiful cream lace. I also added a border of beaded lacey trim (also thanks to Paula). I've added a large black bow and a fluffy black feather although my lack of photography skills makes it look like a big black blob lol. to finish off i've added some black faux pearls made with cosmic shimmer glue, a butterfly stamped on acetate with a pen nib body and a stamped 'Thinking of you' sentiment.

I'm entering this in the following challenges:

Crafts and me: anything goes

Truly Madly Crafty: Monochrome

Speedy and friends: vintage

Thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Introducing Sammy

hi there, hope you're having a good week. We're having a really busy week at work as we've got an inspection all day Thursday and Friday eeeeeeeek! How scary! But as a bit of diversional therapy from all the stress at work I decided to get inky in my craft room and make a project for the FRilly and Funkie challenge which this week is a photo inspiration challenge featuring a pic of the most gorgeous parrot. I racked my brains for a day or two and then had a bit of a lightbulb moment and decided to use a photo of my very own parrot Sammy and enter Tim's June 'Tags of 2012' too :-)

Of course I didn't have half the right stuff but I managed to cobble together an assortment of ideology bits and bobs for the embellies, made a flower using tattered florals and crinoline fabric, and Sammy kindly donated one of his gorgeous feathers lol. I had loads of fun making the marbled background. I used peeled paint and fired brick distress stains along with the picket fence stamped with stamps from Stampers Anonymous Urban Tapestry. In real life the colours are much more zingy. I loved the idea of tinting a photo with distress inks, its so effective and easy too :-)

Anyway I hope you like Sammy, he's such a character, he hates men and loves to eat toast and yorkshire pudding. He loves to 'help out' while I'm crafting, his idea of helping is chewing up paper and running away with pens. He's a real chatter box and apart from the usual 'Hello' 'What are you doing' kind of thing he says 'Tickle Tickle Tickle' with his head on one side and his wing up  for you to tickle him lol. How cute is that? 

Thanks for popping by today

Claire xx

Lady of Opal

Hi there, well summer looks to have arrived as its a lovely sunny morning for a change, shame i've got to go to work . Anyway, todays card features a 'Lady of Opal' by Sarah Burrier from Crafts and Me. Between printer problems and a sore neck its been ages since I coloured a digi stamp  so I really enjoyed making this card. Colouring is soooooo relaxing isn't it?

The image is coloured with promarkers and layerd up one some Vintage shabby paper with a bit of lace and velvet ribbon. I've added some paper flowers and made some faux pearl swirls with a viva pearl pen. I coloured the little roses with blue ink but for some reason they look green in the pic. You can see the image a bit better in this pic:

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Crafts and Me: Pearls and roses

Digi Makeover: Things with wings

Papercrafting Journey: Hand coloured image

Paper Shelter: anything goes

Thanks for popping by today, hope you're getting some sunshine too

Claire xx

Summer Time challenge at PanPastel UK

Hi again, I'm back with my second post of the day, this time for our new challenge at PanPastel UK where we've got a theme of 'Summer Time'. There's no sign of summer here at all in fact its more like November than June, over the last few days we've had torrential rain, hail, thunder and gale force winds! Its so cold we've still got the central heating on. Hopefully  my card will bring you a little sunshine even if the weather is bad

I've used stamps from Chocolate Baroque's Honey Bee stampsheet, stamped onto watercolour paper and coloured with panpastels and distress markers. I've added some pastel blue panpastel for the sky and used a pencil eraser and paynes grey and white panpastels to create the cloud. The big bees are decoupages and have a dusing of glamour dust on their wings for some sparkle. I kept the card simple, just popping the image on some green polka dot paper and adding a cream bow.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Fashionista: simply summer

Lollipop Crafts: flowers in bloom

Paper Pretties: summer inspiration

Southern Girls: things with wings

Don't forget if you're our lucky challenge winner then you'll receive a fab PanPastel starter 

set courtesy of the lovely Berni over at Your Creativity Store!

Well I'd better go, its our lovely dog Mia's 12th birthday today, as she's been such a poorly girl lately its a very special day for us and she's going to be thoroughly spoiled lol. We're also taking my    hubby's parents out for a fathers day lunch so hopefully we wont be too greedy and the birthday girl will get a doggy bag :-)

Have a lovely Sunday and thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Nature challenge at Fashionable Stamping challenges

Hi there, its time for our new challenge at Fashionable Stamping Challenges and this time our theme is 'Nature' chosen by our lovely teamie Yvonne. As always our lucky winner will receive a fab prize from our generous sponsor Marina at Cottage Crafts. This is going to be a long post so grab a cuppa and make yourself comfy :-)

I've made a wall hanging for my DT project. I've been fascinated by some of the beautiful projects created by my teamie Paula who has done some stunning work with fabric and although I'm not much for sewing I was really intrigued with the idea of stamping and colouring on fabric. I was lucky enough to win Paula's blog candy and the gorgeous stamped bag she created is absolutely breathtaking, thank you so much Paula. Anyway if you want to drool over Paula's gorgeous work pop over to her blog and check out her lovely proects.

I began by creating a background with acrylic paints and then added a layer of PanPastels using various crafters workshop templates. Next came some dried flowers and leaves, attached with matte medium and then coated with more matte medium. 

I love foxgloves, they are one of my favourite flowers although sadly we don't have any in flower at home yet. The stamp is from Chocolate Baroque (Honey Bee A5 stampsheet) which I stamped and masked onto some fabric. I did a bit of recycling and used one of the many canvas bags I've picked up at conferences, cut a piece from the back and gave it a few coats of gesso. The flowers are coloured with inktense pencils. I did pluck up courage to dust of my sewing machine and zigzag stitched around the edge to attach the focal image to a layer of frayed crinoline fabric and a layer of  green fabric from my stash. I popped the fabric on some recycled corrugated card coloured with panpastels. You can see the image a bit better in this pic

I added some lace, lilac gingham ribbon, a venise lace heart (from the Funkie Junkie) and a triple seam binding bow (again coloured with PanPastels). I wanted to include butterflies and birds with all my flowers so I used a Tim bird and cage die cut and some gorgeous chipboard butterflies from Paula's blog candy. Here;s another pic to show the background in a bit more detail.

I'm entering this in the following challenges:

Cheerful Stamp Pad: In the garden

Crafty Ribbons: Butterflies and bows

Emergency Crafters: butterflies, birds or things with wings

Penny Black and More: My favourite things

(my favourite things are PanPastels, pencils and Chocolate Baroque stamp)

Simon Says Stamp and Show: anything goes

Sir Stampalot: bingo challenge 

(my line is lilac/purple....ribbon/lace..... pink)

Apologies for being a bad blogger recently, I don't seem to have had much time for visiting or crafting lately with a poorly fur baby and FIL not to mention being rushed off our feet at work. We've got a really important inspection at work this week so we've beenbusy checking and double checking everything but hopefully after this week things will settle down and i'll be able to leave work at work and have time to catch up with all my blogging buddies and of course spend some time in my craft room too.

Thanks for calling by, don't forget to pop over to the challenge blog and check out my teamies beautiful projects if you have time :-)

Claire xx

Tall trees and Sunny Sunflowers

Hi there, as you can tell I really enjoyed using the new Sunny Sunflowers stamps from Chocolate Baroque, they are such beautiful versatile stamps. Todays card combines the new stamps with one of my old favourite Chocolate Baroque stamp sheets, Tall Trees. The bp is from Essence of Nature cd and mirrors the delicate trees stamp beautifully.

To create the little forest scene I used permanent red shade panpastel and black panpastel then added a little white for a misty effect. I stamped and embossed the trees with Pearl White WOW EP (love this as it gives a delicate translucent effect) and then stamped again with black archival ink. 

I made the flower using the large and small flower from Sunny Sunflowers, coloured with distress markers and cut out. I added Sepia glossy accents the the centre and some

I've used black and lime card to mat and layer as it picks up the colour of the leaves but the green card isn't showing up in the pic for some reason. I love red and lime green together :-)I think these stamps would make fab brooches, when I get a minute I'm going to dig out my grungepaper and see if I can make one

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Amusing challenges: Hot embossing

Cheerful Stamp pad: In the garden

Stamp and Create: bold and bright

Truly Scrumptious: flower power

Thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Steampunkery and Steampunk Travel

Have you seen these fab new stamps from Chocolate Baroque? You can be in with a chance of winning them if you pop over to the DT blog and leave a comment but don't hang around as the draw runs until 16th June. But don't worry if you're not the lucky winner as you can pick them up at a bargain price as Glenda has them available as a multibuy too

We've all had a lot of fun with these new stamps so if you have a minute do pop over to the DT blog. I've got another card from Sunny Sunflowers coming up tomorrow and then I'll be sharing my steampunk projects. These stamps are fab and I've got loads of ideas but not enough time with work and our poorly dog at the minute. Still i've got a week off at the end of the month so hopefully I'll have lots of time to play.

Claire xx

Chocolate Baroque Vellum Sunflowers

Hi there, I've been playing around with vellum and panpastels using the beautiful new Sunny Sunflowers stamps from Chocolate Baroque. As you can see these stamps look just as lovely in pastel tones as they do with traditional sunflower colours.

I've used an embossed background, made with my cuttlebug for the background, matted on pink and then green card. I made this in two strips as my bug isn't big enough to emboss such a large piece of card, no problem though as I covered the join up with ribbon and lace. 

I cut an aperture in the larger piece of embossed card and layered it up over my favourite sentiment stamp, from Chocolate Baroque's Loving Sentiments set. I embossed the sentiment in white and it doesn't show up too well on the pic but it reads :Make wish and unwrap a beautiful day"

To make the sunflowers I stamped the images using versamark and embossed with WOW White Pearl EP and then cut them out. I coloured the vellum on the back using PanPastels from the tints set to give the vellum a delicate colour. To finish off I added a bow using some pretty floral ribbon from my stash.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Allsorts: Ice cream colours

Bearly Mine: Tic tac toe ( my line is Lace, ribbon, sentiment)

Polkadoodles: flowers

Pretty Little Ribbon Shop: Lots of Layers

Shopping our Stash: Double the ribbon

Thanks for visiting today

Claire xx

Fathers Day/boys challenge at PanPastel UK

Hi there, our challenge this week at PanPastel UK is 'Fathers Day' or boys. I don't make many mens' cards so it was a great opportunity to get ahead with a card for  my lovely father- in-law. You don't have to use PanPastels to enter our challenge but of course we love it when you do and if you don't have any yet don't forget our lucky winner receives a fabby PanPastel trial set from Your Creativity Store!

I've used some recycled kraft paper for the base layer of my card and then added some backing paper from Tims vintage paper stack, it was a grey tone so I've used shades of brown panpastel to give it a warmer tone and then splashed on a little brown paint and distressed it with my craft knife. I've also added some recycled corrugated card and some kraft glassine that I crumpled and sploshed with more brown paint. Next I added some burlap, twine, a filigree corner and rusty metal mesh (all from the lovely Linda at the Funkie Junkie)

The focal image is a LaBlanche stamp stamped with versamark, I then added some brown and black PanPastel that was left over on my sponge, its a really detailed stamp but the Pans pick up the detail beautifully. 

To finish off I've added a concertina rosette made with more glassine, lock and key brads and  a couple of recycled buttons

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Delicious Doodles: for the fellas

Frilly and Funkie: Kraft and twine

One Stop Crafts: Fathers Day

The Stamp Man: For a man

Through the Craftroom door: Distressing

I hope you're having a good weekend, I've had another manic week at work and our poor fur baby Mia is still poorly so I haven't had a lot of time for crafting but hopefully today i'll manage to get a couple of hours in my craft room today.

Thanks for popping by today

Claire xx

Its a girl thing at Crafty Ann's

Hi there, I've been totally confused with the days this week after the long weekend off. but its Friday already the weekend is nearly  here and its time for a new challenge at Crafty Ann's! Our theme for the next fortnight is 'Its a Girl Thing' so I've gone for delicate pastels colours, lots of sparkle and ribbon and lace for my card. Don't forget our lucky winner will receive a fab prize from Crafty Ann's Digi Shop

I've used a beautiful bp from Crafty Ann's Mottled Stone collection, and I've used a prima mask and stencil paste brushed with pearl mica powder to create some detail in the corners. The image is Crafty Ann's lovely 'Morning Glory' coloured with promarkers. I've added faux pearls, seambinding ribbon,  a couple of pins made with beads from my stash  and lace to finish off . You can see the detail a bit better in this pic

I'm entering this one in the following challenges:

Crafters Cafe: Pearls and swirls

Crafts and Me: Lace

Digital Tuesday: Anything goes

Fab'n'Funky: go green

Paper take weekly: anything goes

Really Reasonable Ribbon: Flowers and lace

The Ribbon Girls: ribbon or lace

Right i'd better get myself ready for work, we're soooooo busy at the minute I don't seem to have a minute. Still it looks like the weekend is shaping up to be perfect crafting weather as it hasn't stopped raining for the last couple of days. Hope you're escaping the worst of the weather where you are

thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Sunny Sunflowers from Chocolate Baroque

Hi there, what a change in the weather, on Saturday we had blue sky and sunshine, Sunday it was grey, rainy and cold, and yesterday was a bit of a mixture I even put the heating on..... in June, eeeek!! Anyway  today's card share features the fab new Sunny Sunflowers stamps from Chocolate Baroque. in traditional sunflower colours to brighten up another grey day.

I coloured the stamps with distress markers, I do love these pens!! The flowers are layered up and I've added stickles for a little sparkle and popped them on some coredinations card that I popped through my trusty cuttlebug and sanded. The bp is from the Essence of Nature cd, sentiment from Chocolate Baroque's Essence of Nature themeplate. All the bps are distressed with my craft knife and matted on kraft card and I've added an organza bow to finish off

I'm entering this card in  the following challenges:

CD Sunday: Gorgeous green

Crafty Calendar: flowers in bloom

Crafty Cardmakers: Distress it

Diva's by Design: Anything goes

The Perfect Sentiment: Anything goes with a stamped sentiment

Thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Something Vintage at PanPastel UK

Hi there, I'm back again this time with my DT card for PanPastel UK, this week our theme is 'Something Vintage' . We're really excited to have the talented Ali Reeve joining us at Guest Designer this week, we're also really pleased to have the lovely Amy Shaw joining the team too!!  I decided to experiment a bit and tried using PanPastels over versamark using a LaBlanche stamp and I was really pleased with the effect. Soooo quick and easy :-)

I've used papers from the P:rima Almanac collection and overstamped with a stamp from Chocolate Baroque 'Lace Fragments' themeplate and versamark ink before applying black panpastel. I've ripped a bit out of the paper and layered it up over some white card stamped with the same stamp, I love this technique, it looks fab and have unashamedly copied it from my CB teamie Judith (pop over and check out Judith's beautiful artwork on her blog). I've added seambinding ribbon coloured with red tint panpastel, black lace, faux pearls, prima flowers and some gems for a bit of bling.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

365 cards: Distressing and tearing

Crafting for all seasons: Many layers

Incy Wincy: Vintage

Joanna Sheen Challenge: remember when

Oldie but goodie: Anything goes (my oldie is my stamp)

Ooh La La: Make  it girly

Paper Shelter: Vintage/shabby chic

Use it Tuesday: 2 hoarded items (my black lace and prima flowers)

Don't forget our lucky winner will receive a fabby PanPastel Trial set from our generous sponsor Berni from My Creativity Store

Right, better go and do something, I've been glued to all the programmes about the Queen so far all weekend lol. Hope you're enjoying the bank holiday weekend

Claire xx

Mystical and very magical at FSC

Hi there, and a warm welcome to my new followers :-) We've got a new challenge starting at Fashionable Stamping Challenges and our theme this time is 'Mystical and very Magical'. As always our lucky winner will receive a fab prize from our generous sponsor Marina from Cottage Crafts.

For my DT card I've used a fairy stamp from Stampendous, coloured with distress markers. I used distress stains to create the background (worn lipstick and tea dye) and tried my own version of frantage around the edges and across the bottom of the image. I didn't have any of the proper stuff so I just mixed an assortment of embossing powders, UTEE, glitter, micaflakes, microbeads and some tiny stars and sprinkled it on before heating from underneath. I've also added glamour dust to the lovely fairy, you can see her a little better in this pic but as always my photography skills are abysmal lol

To finish off I've added some little pearls, lace and some shabby chic ribbon( from the Funkie Junkie's boutique, this is ribbon that came as part of the packaging!!) and a flower made using a stamp from Chocolate Baroque with more of my frantage mixure in the centre.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Charisma Cardz: Bling

Delicious Doodles: Loads of bling

Simon Says Stamp: anything goes

Truly Scrumptious: pink

Thanks for popping by, do check out my teamies gorgeous projects if you've got a minute.

Thanks to everyone who has been so kind about my poorly dog, its been such a comfort. Mia seems to be doing well on her new medication so far, she's such a brave girl and its lovely to see her starting to trot round again and wagging her tail. She must be feeling better as the other day I caught her stood up with her paws on the dining table helping herself to a plate of chicken, I never thought I'd be pleased to see her pinching my dinner lol

Claire xx