Mainly for men at CD Sunday

Hi there, no posts for a week and then 3 in one day :-) I'm back with my GDT card for CD Sunday where the theme is 'Mainly for Men'. I've used one of my favourite bps from the Artylicious CD 'Decadent Brocade.

I've distressed the paper with distress inks and also overstamped with a pocket watch stamp from Chocolate Baroque (Punky Romance themeplate). I've added Tim's tissue wrap, ribbon from Crafty ribbon and some screw brads. The main image has a distress ink background, the stamp is from Chocolate Baroque 'Steampunkery' themeplate, embossed with antiquities EP. The sentiment 'New Horizons' is from the same stampsheet.

I'm entering this one in the following challenges:

Alphabet Challenge: M is for men only

Charisma Cardz: Monochrome

Crafts and Me: anything goes

Fat pages and cards with attitude: Anything goes

Its all about the vintage: anything goes

Stempelsonnen: Free Choice

thanks for popping by and also thanks to the lovely ladies at CD Sunday for inviting them to be their guest designer this month

Claire xx

Buttons and Bows at PanPastel UK

Hellooooo, back again with my second post of the day this time with my DT card for PanPastel UK where our theme is 'Buttons and Bows'. Now I have a serious button addiction so this challenge was a good excuse to nip to the little haberdashery shop where they have the most scrumptious selection of buttons. I found these beautiful little iridescent rose buttons so I had to buy lots, if I could knit I'd knit a cardigan so I could wear them but the least said about my knitting the better lol.

For my card I made a little sunset scene with my panpastels and used my new Lavinia Stamps and memento inks to create the scene. I used assorted shades of green and blue tints of PanPastels, masking to create the sun  and then created some clouds (I just can't stop making clouds with pans lol) The background was made using PanPastels from the tints set and stamped with Lavinia Stamps. You can see the gorgeous fairy stamp better here:

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Craft room challenge: buttons and bows

Crafty Creations: buttons

Deep Ocean: Fantasy world

Poodles Parlour: Anything goes

Simon Says Stamp: Anything goes

Shopping our Stash: something new (Stamps and buttons)

Southern Girls: angels or fantasy

As always our lucky winner with receive a trial pack of PanPastels from the lovely Berni at

  Your Creativity Store. 

You don't have to use PanPastels to enter but its great when you do. I've got to warn you though, Pans are totally addictive lol.

Thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Anything goes at FSC

Happy Birthday to us, Happy birthday to us, Happy birthday to uuuuuuuuuus....!!!! Guess what, its our first birthday at Fashionable Stamping Challenges! Where did the last year go? Goodness me I think I must be getting old. Anyway to celebrate our first birthday, Dot has picked the theme and we're modelling our 'Anything Goes' creations on the catwalk. As always we've got a fabby prize from Marina, our lovely sponsor from Cottage Crafts. 

I've made a canvas for my DT project, inspired by the mega talented Jaine's project in Craft Stamper. I used to be on Sarah Hurley's DT with Jaine and her work is amazing so do pop over to her blog and check it out. I was really intrigued by the way Jaine had created lots of texture by using die cuts and had to have a bash myself. I stuck lots of die cuts onto my canvas and gave it a good coat of gesso. Next came lots of watered down acrylic paint and then out came the polyfiller. I applied the polyfiller through my current favourite crafters workshop template and left it overnight to dry. Once it was dry I replaced the mask and applied flitter glu and added Yorkshire Dales gilding flakes . These flakes are the most scrummy colour but it hasn't shown up too well in the pic.

Next I stamped the text stamps on tissue paper with versamark and embossed with gold EP and then cut the words out and added them with matte multi medium. I got a bit carried away with the messiness then and splashed on gold acylic paint and once that was dry I liberally sprayed bits of the canvas with chalkboard glimmer mist. I uses a derwent pastel pencil to add some shadow to the die cuts and then added some embossed and glittered butterflies and a bird and bird cage made using Marianne dies. I just love this little birdie die cut, soooooo cute. Last but not least I added some thick gloopy splodges of rock candy crackle paint.

I had soooooo much fun making this canvas but the colours haven't show up too well in the photo.

I'm entering this in the following challenges:

Crafty Bloggers: anything goes

Crafty Catz: all that glitters

Crafty Mess challenge: Birds

Fab'n'Funky: no stamped image

Marianne Design Divas: Anything goes

Totally Stampalicious: Texture

Wags'n'Whiskers: try a new technique

Phew its all go at the minute, our little Barney is certainly keeping us on our toes. Yesterday he started digging in the garden and unearthed one of Benji's huge bones! What a clever boy he is, although Benji wasn't too chuffed lol. I took a photo of him digging what looks like a dinosaur bone up but I took it on my phone and I can't work out how to get it off the phone and on to here. EEEk I'm hopeless with technology and my son has persuaded me to get a blackberry thingumagig, oh dear I can feel a headache coming on at the thought of trying to work out how to use it. Better go as its well past my bedtime but before I do, try and pop over to my teamies blogs as they have got some stunning projects to share with you

Thanks for popping by today

Claire xx

Meet Barney

I've got a very good reason for being so quiet on the blogging front this week :-)
After having such a difficult time with hubby in hospital and losing our darling fur baby Mia its been a very sad house for the last few weeks but last weekend I took the plunge and got a black labrador puppy. He's a real live wire and although Benji thought he might be a dangerous german shepherd killing monster for a couple of days they are becoming best friends. It was so funny to see Benji running away from such a tiny little puppy but now its lovely to see them playing together. Here's a couple of pics of my two boys:

Barney is a fearless little chap and has brought the smiles back to our faces

I'm going to grab a few minutes crafting while he has a snooze

Have a lovely Saturday and enjoy the sunshine

Claire xx

A is for ......

Hi there, here I am again with my GDT card for CD Sunday where the theme is 'A is for ....' I've gone for A is for Aquamarine and Anniversary for this card and used a beautiful backing paper from the Essence of Nature cd by Artylicious

The bp wasn't quite the colour i wanted it to be so I applied a little turquoise panpastel and the overstamps the corners with a beautiful leafy corner stamp from Chocolate Baroque which I embossed with white EP. I made the butterflies using Marianne dies and a couple of scraps of the same backing papers, I used cosmic shimmer glue to create their pearly bodies. The bow in made from scrunched seam binding ribbon and the focal image was made using a Marianne Designable. I got this last weekend at the craft show and I love it, its so delicate with the embossed pattern and the little lacy cut out bits. I inked it up with tumbled glass distress ink, stamped the sentiment (again from Chocolate Baroque) and added more faux pearls and gems.

I'm entering this in the following challenges:

Always Something Creative: Butterflies

Card and Scrap: things with wings

Card Cupids: wings

Divas by Design: anything goes

Marianne Design Divas: Anything goes

Sparkles Forum: wedding or anniversary

Thanks for popping by, if you get a minute do pop over to CD Sunday and check out the DT's work, they really are a lovely talented bunch of ladies

Claire xx

Mystical and Magical at PanPastel UK

Hi there, phew I'm chasing my tail at the minute with work, hubby in hospital and trying to do battle with the weeds when I get chance. Its great to grab some time in my craft room though and have a play and I had loads of messy fun making this card. Its my DT card for PanPastel UK where the theme is Mystical and Magical

The large fairy and castle stamps are from Stampendous, the smaller fairy and the toadstools are from Chocolate Baroque, I stamped them all and masked them to create the sky with panpastels. I also masked a moon too. I used black, paynes grey and violet to create the sky and added some icicle stickles for the stars. The moon was made using white panpastel with a little violet and paynes grey pans around the edges. I coloured the scene with distress markers and added lots of glamour dust, fairies have to have a bit of sparkle lol. You can see the fairy a bit better here in this pic

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Crafty Mess: sun/moon

Creative Belli: Stars

Cute Card thursday: Fairy nice

Cutie Pie: Glitter and bling

Papertake weekly: all things girly

Southern Girls: angels or fantasy

Don't forget our lucky winner will receive a fab trial set of PanPastels from the lovely Berni at Your Creativity Store!

Thanks for popping by today. I hope you get chance to enjoy some sunshine, We've had the most dreaful weather over the last few months but yesterday the sun came out! Better make the most of it while it lasts lol

Claire 

Exciting news :-)

Hi again, I've got some very exciting news, my dear friend Suzanne is starting a new challenge blog 'No matter which challenges' and she's invited me to join the DT! How could I resist?? Of course I jumped at the chance and now I'm going to have to get cracking and find some time for my first project. Our first challenge kicks off with an exciting blog hop on August 5th!!

Suzanne has got some fab sponsors lined up and a wonderfully talented team of ladies, i'm so excited to be joining them!! Its a monthly challenge so lots of time for everyone to enter

Claire xx

Because I care

Hi there, weekend at last and todays card share is very different from my usual style so I hope you like it. I've used stamps from Dusky Damask and Pretty Poppies, the new stamps from Chocolate Baroque and made a very CAS card. It was well out of my comfort zone but I wanted to put this stunning background stamp in the spotlight

It was literally 5 minute card, the background stamp was stamped onto a shaped card blank using Chipped Sapphire distress ink. The sentiment (from Pretty Poppies) was stamped with the same ink and I added a little navy blue bow. 

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Crafty Catz: Monochromatic

Paper Minutes: only patterns and ornaments

The Perfect Sentiment: anything goes + sentiment

Thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Easel Cards at Crafty Ann's

Hi there, time for a new challenge at Crafty Ann's where our theme is 'Easel Cards'. I'm still battling the computer gremlins with a dicky pc and a very dodgy laptop that won't believe its got a printer connected to it but fortunately I had this gorgeous little cutie 'Duck in Umbrella' available at Crafty Ann's Digi Shop

I've made a watery background with distress stains (picket fence, broken chine and faded jeans). The image is coloured with promarkers and i've used a sentiment from Chocolate Baroque which reads 'Into every life a little rain must fall, call me anytime you need an umbrella'. I've used red card for matting and layering and just added some tiny buttons and a couple of red gingham ribbon bows to finish off.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Crafts and Me: ribbons and bows

Jacksons Digital Expressions: anything goes

Tuesday Alchemy: button button who's got a button?

Thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Poppy centre step card

Hi there, my card share today uses stamps from Pretty Poppies and Dusky Damask, both new stamp sheets from Chocolate Baroque

I don't know about you but I always struggle with these type of cards (well any kind of fancy fold really) but Glenda's template really does make it a lot easier. You can find it here

I was pleased that the gorgeous floral borders from Dusky Damask fitted the template beautifully. I just stamped them, coloured with promarkers and matted on some red card before attaching to the card base. I  used two strips of the narrow border and covered the join with a sentiment from Pretty Poppies and a creative acrylic tag. The main image is from Pretty Poppies, again coloured with promarkers and matted on red card. I didn't want a lot of embellishments with these gorgeous images so I just added some little red gems.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Always Something Creative: Butterflies

Penny Black and more: summer blooms

Stamp n plus: Anything goes

I'm also entering this into Brenda's 'Poppies' Challenge on her blog Floral Fantasies. Brenda's artwok is stunning so her blog is always an inspiration but at the minute she has a fab  £20 Sir Stampalot voucher to be won

Thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Dusky Damask and distress markers

Hi there, today's card features the new Dusky Damask themeplate available at Chocolate Baroque and distress markers. I love these pens and i'm really enjoying trying them out with different types of card and different techniques

I applied distress markers to the stamp and stamped on to the Ranger card, I only had the ATC size card so I used two together. I've often struggled with getting a crisp image with this technque in the past but it works beautifully on this card. I overstamped with Claudine Helmuth Matte Multi Medium and left it to dry. The multi medium acts as a resist so that inking over the card with distress inks leaves a white halo around the image. The backing paper is from Decadent Brocade. 

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

ATCs and Cards with Attitude: anything goes

Card making mamas: Rubber stamping

Crafty Creations: Free for all

Do you stack up: cool colours

That Craft Place: Anything goes

Thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Pearls and Swirls for CD Sunday

Hi again, i've been loving dusting off my crafting cds during my month as GDT at CD Sunday and rediscovering all the scrummy papers and images on them. For this weeks challenge which is Pearls and Swirls i've used a backing paper from Artylicious 'Peacock Summer Party'.

I don't make many baby cards but its always handy to have a few at the ready as a lot of my son's friends are starting their familes so we'll be needing some baby cards in the next few months. (Fortunately he's not showing signs of getting broody thank goodness as I'm far to young to be a grandma lol). Anyway back to my card, I printed the bp off and distressed the edges with a craft knife and then used a prima mask to add polyfilla which I brushed with mica powder along the botton of the card

.

I've used a Whiff of Joy stamp called 'Willow Holding Baby' and coloured her with distress markers before die cutting her with nestiles. I've added a heart shaped doily, lots of paper flowers and some pearly swirls made with cosmic shimmer glue. To finish off i've added some polka dot organza ribbon.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Creative Card Crew: Pearls and swirls

Paper Shelter: Pearls and swirls

Totally Stampalicious: Your favourite embellishment (ribbon)

Thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Sun Sea and Sand at PanPastel UK

Hi there, back again with my post for the new challenge over at PanPastel UK where the theme is 'Sun Sea and Sand'. A nice reminder of what we should be seeing this time of year not all this rain and cloud lol.

You may have noticed that i've got a bit of an obsession with creating clouds and seascapes with my panpastels so I hope you're not fed up of seeing them yet. This card was inspired by artwork on the Wetcanvas website here. I don't have any proper canvas paper but I was inspired to try using my Pans on kraft card to give a nice sandy effect for the beach. I've used white, paynes grey, blues and turquoise panpastel for this project and added some detail with Derwent Pastel Pencils.

I wanted the sea to be the focus of this card so I've kept it very clean and simple and just added a stamped verse from Chocolate Baroque's 'Seagull Collage' stamp sheet.

I'm entering this card in the the challenge from Art with no Boundaries where the theme is Anything goes with Summer skies. It also fits the challenge from Deep Ocean where the theme is 'Sea of Love' and this weeks gorgeous colour palette from The Play Date Cafe

Don't forget you can win a fab PanPastel starter set from our regular sponsor Berni at Your Creativity Store. 

Thanks for calling by

Claire xx

Get inky and messy at FSC

Hi there, sorry I'm awol at the minute, my hubby is still very poorly in hospital and I've also got computer gremlins. Fingers crossed things will soon settle down but in the mean time here's a very quick post with my DT card for Fashionable Stamping Challenges. Our theme this time around is 'Get Inky and Messy' chosen by our very own top model Shirley :-)

I've used distress inks on glossy card to create this card. The background was made with the spring distress inks with the addition of some tumbled glass and shabby shutters. I've used stamps from Stampers Anonymous 'Papillion' and coloured the main image with distress markers. The flowers were made from Crinoline Fabric coloured with distress inks and stamped with text using black archival ink. You can see them a bit better here

 

I've added some black buttons, die cut foliage and some more little butterflies 

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Classy cards and such: Handmade flowers

The Stamp Man: Anything goes summer colours

Stempelsonnen Challenge: Summer

Totally Papercrafts: Lots of layers

Thanks for popping by. I hope you are keeping out of all this rain, it never seems to let up does it? 

Claire xx

Rainbow of Friendship

Hi there, my card today features some lovely new stamps from Chocolate Baroque, the large sprig of flowers is from Dusky Damask and the sentiment is from Pretty Poppies

I've stamped the flower sprigs with different colours of distress ink to give a rainbow effect and used the same inks to colour some seam binding ribbon. The swirls are from Butterfly Flourish again stamped with distress ink pads. I used distress markers to ink up the sentiment stamp from Pretty Poppies and also the butterflies from Butterfly Flourish. The sentiment is die cut and I used tape to attach the ribbon,  pleating it as I went along. I matted the card on some rainbow card that I made with white card and distress markers and attached the butterflies with silicone glue for a bit of dimension.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Always something creative: Butterflies

Artistic Stamper: Circles

Challenge up your life: Rainbow

Hotshot Crafts: distress inks

Joanna Sheen: Going round in circles

Thanks for popping by today

Claire xx

Best of British at CD Sunday

Hi there, phew I was a bit last minute with my GDT card for CD Sunday this week but here it is. The theme is 'Best of British' and I've used a lovely backing paper from Artylicious cd 'Peacock Summer Party' for my card. I've also dusted off one of my favourite Tilda stamps and coloured her with distress markers. I've die cut her with nestie labels 4 and added glitter to give her tiara a bit of bling.

I've added ribbon, lace and flowers from my stash. The bunting was made with one of my current favourite stamps, from The Artistic Stamper, I coloured the stamp with distress markers stamped and cut out the bunting. I know I'm easily pleased but I do love this technique :-)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Crafting for all seasons: Patriotic/military/fireworks

Die cutting Divas: Red, white and blue plus a patriotic symbool

Divas by Design: red white and blue

Raise the bar: Red white and blue

SJ Papercrafts: red white and blue

Tilda's Town: your favourite Tilda

thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Ice Cream colours at PanPastel UK

Good morning, we're having some really horrendous weather here at the minute but hopefully this card will be a little reminder of summer. Our theme this week at PanPastel UK is 'Icecream colours' . I've gone for neapolitan with pink, yellow and brown yum scrum :-)

I've used stamps from 'Carousel horses' by Chocolate Baroque for this card. I blended hansa yellow tint, red tint and white panpastel on some white card and then stamped the icecream cone stamp and coloured with PanPastels using one of the dinky little Sofft Mini Applicators which are brilliant for detailed areas. I created the little scene by stamping the carousel horse and the helterskelter and then adding a PanPastel cloudy sky. I stamped the bunting  and then used a pencil eraser to remove the panpastel where I wanted to colour the images. I coloured the images with PanPastels adding some detail with distress markers. The image is decoupaged and has some gold embossing on the top layer. I've added ribbon and lace from my stash and lots of flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts. You can see the detail a bit better here:

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Bearly Mine: ribbon and bows

By the cute and girly: A day at the ...... funfair

Delicious Doodles: Summer holiday

Simply Create too: summer/vacation

Sparkles Forum: summer fun

Totally Papercrafts: here comes summer

Tuesday throwdown: summer time

Don't forget our lucky winner will receive a trial set of PanPastels thanks to our generous sponsor Berni from Your Creativity Store

Thanks for popping by and all your lovely comments. Its still hectic here as hubby isn't getting any better and work is busy so I'm rushing around like a headless chicken. Hopefully this afternoon I'll be able to find my mojo and grab a few hours in my craft room

Have a lovely Sunday

Claire xx

Paper piecing at Crafty Ann's

Hi there, a very quick post as I've got internet gremlins, hubby is in hospital and I don't know if I'm on my a**e or my elbow at work so apologies for being awol this week. Hopefully I'll catch up with my blogland buddies at the weekend but before I rush off to work here's my DT card for the new challenge over at Crafty Ann's Challenge where the theme is paper piecing

I've used papers from Crafty Ann's scrummy Tempting Turquoise collection. The bp has some flitter glued and gilded swirls added to it using a stamp from Chocolate Baroque and I've used one of the other bps from the collection to paper piece the dress. I've combined Anns' papers with stamps from Joanna Sheen. You can seethe lovely lady better here, she's actually a bride but I've cut her veil off for this card. I've used some gold vellum for her bodice and underskirt.

To finish off I've added some gold stickles to the flowers on the backing paper and some gold ribbon. 

Right, I'm off to earn a crust, have a happy Friday

thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Chocolate Baroque Poppy Fields

Hi there, I'm back at work after my week off which isn't good news but its always nice to catch up with everyone isn't it? Todays card features one of the new stamp sheets from Chocolate Baroque called Pretty Poppies. These stamps are so beautiful, with gorgeous images and some really lovely sentiments too.

I've used an 8x8 card blank, red and white card stock for matting and layering and some lace from my stash. The backing paper is from the Decadent Brocade CD

I made the focal image using panpastels and distress markers. I began by creating the background scene with ultramarine blue tint and rubbed out a cloud shape using a pencil eraser. I used paynes grey and tiny bit of yellow and magenta panpastels to give the cloud a bit of dimension. I used torn copier paper to mask off the hills and used shades of green panpastels to create the hills. 

As PanPastels can be erased I just stamped the poppies over the background and rubbed out the colour. I used distress markers to add colour to the beautiful poppies.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Craft a scene: in the garden

Do you stack up: blue sky and clouds

Penny Black and more: summer blooms

Sweet Stampin: Scallops

Thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Guest Designer at CD Sunday

Hi there, me again :-) I was chuffed to bits to be asked to join CD Sunday as their guest designer for the month of July. They are such a lovely bunch of talented ladies, how could I resist? This weeks theme is 'Seaside Treasures' and I knew straight way which CD to dust off for this one, Joanna Sheen's Cardmakers Year. This was the first craft cd I ever bought and I must admit I still love it. I'd decided to use a gorgeous vintage image of a little cutie on a sunny beach but while I was browsing through the cd I thought this image would be more appropriate for the weather we're having here in the UK lately

The inky background is made with distress stains, distress inks tissue paper and acrylic paint. I added some corrugated card, dress net (coloured with alcohol inks), some string, shells, brads from my stash and a stamped sentiment from Chocolate Baroque. The sentiment says 

" A smooth sea never made a skilled mariner", wise words there :-)

I used kraft card for matting and layering and once I'd got the card assembled I decided to add this inked watch die cut to frame the poor chap battling the elements. You can see him a bit better in this pic:

I'm entering this one in the following challenges:

Drunken Stampers: hit the road

Frilly and Funkie: lets see some texture

Hiding in my craft room: anything goes

Simon Says Stamp and Show: Depth of distress

Simply Create too: the country where you live

Wags'n'Whiskers: Use kraft

We had some really wild weather here yesterday, one minute it was sunny the next minute thick black clouds, heavy rain and high winds. I was a brave soul though and ventured out to do some weeding and had a bit of a scare as the TV aerial blew off the chimney and knocked a brick off. I nearly jumped out of my skin! 

We've had a very sad week this week as my  hubby is in hospital and I had to have our beautiful fur baby girl Mia put to sleep on Friday. She was the most loyal and gentle dog and was my best friend for 12 years. The house is so empty without her and our other dog Benji is such a sad boy so I'm planning lots of walks and treats to try and cheer him up. He's had a special treat this morning, some lovely Lincolnshire sausage for his breakfast and paws crossed a good run in the park will help take his mind off things for a while.

Thanks for stopping by

Claire xx

Use a digi at PanPastel UK

Hi there, my second post of the day and there will be another one in a little while too :-)

This is my DT card for PanPastel UK where our theme this week is 'Use a digi'. I've used this beautiful mermaid image from Crafts and Me called 'Resting on the horizon' for my card.

I printed the image and masked the mermaid with Eclipse masking tape before adding the background with PanPastels. I used white. ultramarine blue and the tint to create the sky and then used a pencil eraser to rub out a cloud shape. To give the cloud a bit of dimension I added some paynes grey panpastel and a tiny bit of yellow and magenta pans and again blended with white. I used some torn copier paper for a mask and added the hills using yellow green shade panpastel and then added the beach by blending browns and yellows. Lastly I added the sea using blues and turquoise pans, creating the waves with a pencil eraser and a bit of glamour dust. While the image was still masked off I used an Indigo Blue stamp to add the grasses with distress inks and drew in a few darker grasses with coloursoft pencils.  I fixed the background with hairspray before removing the mask and colouring the image with promarkers.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Colour me creative: lots of hair

Di's digi designs:  Its summertime

Do you stack up? : blue sky and clouds

Emergency Crafters: Summer sun

Jellypark: Waving

Joanna Sheen Challenge: Summer daze

Lexi's creations: at the beach

Totally Papercrafts: use a digi

Don't forget that our lucky winner will receive a fab PanPastel starter set from our sponsor Berni at Your Creativity Store so don't miss out on a chance to win

Thanks for popping by today

Claire xx

Oriental challenge at FSC

Hi there, we're going 'Oriental' on the catwalk at Fashionable Stamping Challenges this time. Our lovely teamie Paula has chosen the theme for this challenge and it was a great excuse to dust of my oriental stamps. As always we've got a great prize up for grabs from Marina, our generous sponsor from Cottage Crafts but don't forget we're a rubber stamping challenge so no digi stamps are allowed.

My tag has a distress ink background with lots of overstamping. The focal image is a Sweet Pea stamp by Ching Chou Kuik called 'Bamboo Serende'. I've coloured her with promarkers and then triple embossed the image. I've added some black lace and purple velvet ribbon (looks blue in the pic for some strange reason), a coin charm with a purple tassel (although that looks red in the pic lol, I really don't know how i can manage to take such dreadful photos).

 I've also added some die cut swirls, a couple of  gold embossed acetate butterflies and a little fan. The fan was made with an old wood mounted stamp I've had for years and never used. I made the flower with tissue paper coloured with distress ink and starbust stains. I die cut the tissue with tattered florals and popped a gorgeous button in the centre. I've just got these beautiful little buttons from Linda over at the Funkie Junkie and they are so pretty it was hard to bring myself to use one. 

Here's another pic to try and show some of the details:

I'm entering this tag in the following challenges:

Allsorts: in bloom

Charisma Cardz: anything goes

Crafty Cardmakers: create your own flowers

Crafty Catz: metal

Crafty mess challenge: Ribbon and lace

Crazy 4 Challenges: create a tag

Thanks for popping by today and all your lovely comments

Don't forget to check out my teamies blogs to see their gorgeous artwork

Claire xx