Fuchsia Heart by Chocolate Baroque

Good morning all, its blowing a right gale here this morning. I'll look like I've been dragged through a hedge backwards by the time I get to work (nothing new there then lol) My project today is another sample using the gorgeous Fuchsia Baroque Heart stamp from Chocolate Baroque. 

I've made a little wall hanging. I stamped the image and embossed with WOW gold EP and painted the image with twinking H20s before die cutting with a circular die. I cut two larger circles and then inked all the edges with shades of purple ink. I found some lovely lace with a heart design in my stash so I attached that to the back of one of the large circles using my hot glue gun, ruffling the lace as I went along. I also attached a purple tassel and a loop of gold cord as a hanger. I popped on the focal image using pva glue and lastly used the other large circle to cover the back.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Bearly Mine: Hearts galore

Crafts and Me: Favourite Embellie

 (got to be lace at the minute but I do love tassels too)

Deep Ocean: love and lace

Loves Rubber Stamps: have a heart

Penny's Papercrafty: For the girls

Well just for a change I'm chasing my tail getting ready for work so I'd better go and brave the elements. Have a good day and thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Seeing Stars at PanPastel UK

Good morning folks, I'm back with my second post of the day, this time its my DT project for our new challenge at PanPastel UK where our theme is 'Seeing Stars'. I've altered the box that my Next directory came in to hold my magazines in an attempt to keep my craft room tidy (that'll be the day lol). Don't forget that you don't need to use PanPastels to enter (but of course we're happy bunnies when you do) and our lucky winner will receive a fabby PanPastel starter set from our generous sponsor Berni at Your Creativity Store.

The photo's haven't picked up the colour very well so the pics look a bit faded but hey ho, whats new about me taking a terrible photo?? When I retire I'm definitely going to do a photography course, only another 18 years or so to wait lol. Anyway back to my project. I've used turquoise tint and ultramarine blue tint PanPastels for the background and then appliced Maimeri Irridescent past through a couple of different Crafters Workshop templates. Once that was dry I added turquoise shade and paynes grey panpastels over the top. The star stamp was a freebie from Crafty Stamper, embossed and then filled with Pebeo Fantasy paint. That stuff takes ages to dry so I had to leave it overnight to dry. I've shaded around the stars with more Paynes Grey PanPastel and then added some stamping using a Dina Wakely stamp. 

I glued the panels to the box and then added some black card punched with a MS punch to cover the edges and some teal seam binding ribbon  around the bottom with a bow in the centre to finish off. Here's another pic of the finished project:

I'm entering this one in the following challenges:

Artistic Stamper: Favourite stamp 

(so hard to choose but this star stamp is one of my favourites)

Crafters Companion: anything but a card

Frilly and Funkie: Spruce it up

Papertake weekly: tie up your loose ends

Well we've had heavy rain overnight so most of the snow has gone but it looks VERY muddy outside so I expect I'll have fun and games when I take the dogs to the park so I don't think I'll be putting my wellies away just yet. 

Thanks for visiting today 

Claire xx

Show some love at FSC

Hi there, how's your weekend going? I've got a long weekend off work, so I'll enjoy Sunday even more without having to think about work tomorrow :-) I'm hoping to spend the day in my craft room but yesterday my mojo was totally awol so I had a lovely messy time making backgrounds and loads of flowers - pics to follow. I've been itching to make some utee flowers ever since I saw Joanna's fab tutorial (have a look here) and I had so much fun making them. We've got a new challenge starting at Fashionable Stamping Challenges and this time around we've got a love theme, chosen by my lovely teamies Brenda and Joanna. As always we're sponsored by the lovely Marina at Cottage Crafts and don't forget we're a rubber stamping challenge so no digi stamps allowed.

I've used mountboard hearts, the background is acrylic paint crackle using ivory and shell pink acrylic paint, and distressed with tea dye distress ink then stamped with a Chocolate Baroque fragment stamp and embossed with a sparkly ivory EP. The large flowers were made with a Paper Artsy Stamp, the smaller flowers are rolled ribbon roses. 

I've edged the hearts with some pearl trim, what a nightmare trying to fix it on with my glue gun, I can confirm that hot glue hurts when you get it stuck all over your fingers lol.  The larger heart has a Crafty individuals fairy image, framed with spellbinders die cuts. I've added ivory seam binding ribbon, some  pearls, die cut swirls. The buttons have been coloured with Pebeo fantasy paint and I've added a little bakers twine bow to them. Here's a pic of the larger heart which shows the detail a little better.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

4 Crafty Chicks: buttons

Brown Sugar: valentine

Charisma: hearts and flowers

Jellypark: button up

Polkadoodles: monochromatic

In the pink: distressed

Well hopefully Mr Blogger will post this while I'm tucked up in bed so I'll see you in the morning with my PanPastel DT project. 

Thanks for popping by and for all your lovely comments

Claire xx

Fuchsia heart

Good morning folks, don't you just love Saturday mornings. We've had a couple of inches more snow overnight but right now the sky is blue and the sun is shining.  I have to say I'm getting a bit fed up with winter now, it will be lovely to see some sunshine and flowers when spring arrives. Anyway with warmer weather in mind, here's another sample using the beautiful Fuchsia Baroque Heart clear stamp from Chocolate Baroque. I thought this stamp would be perfect with an old favourite, the DL stamp set 'Fuchsia' which features of course a beautiful fuchsia image. You can't have too many fuchsias can you?

I stamped the focal image and the background with memento tuxedo black ink and coloured with distress markers. I then distressed the edges with some peeled paint distress ink.I cut the heart out and layered it up over a lacy paper doiley. I've used hot pink and green card to matt and layer the background along with some ribbed white card.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges

Charisma Cardz: Hearts and flowers

CRAFT: Valentine's Day/Love

Fairy Tale: my newest stamp

Little Miss Muffet: Hearts and Flowers

Simply Create Too: anything goes

thanks for popping by, have a lovely Saturday

Claire xx

CDAC Challenge

Good morning folks, my card share today is for the new challenge over at Crafters Digital Arts Centre using this beautiful freebie from the sponsor Shelley's images. Do pop over and have a look at the challenge as this is such a beautiful image and you get the lovely sentiment too! 

I've used kraft card for the base card and for matting and layering. The image is coloured with promarkers, cut out and liberally sprinkled with glamour dusts. I've moutned the image over some die cut nesties and used one of Tim's vintage backing papers. I've added some pretty laee and seam binding ribbon from the Funkie Junkie boutique and added some spellbinders die cut cherry blossoms with little faux pearl centres, this is the first time I've used this die and I just love it!!

Here's a close up of the image, i've used panpastels in permanent red tint and white for distressing, they give a lovely delicate colour. 

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

Bunny Zoe's Crafts: anything goes

Crafty Bloggers Network: flowers

Crafty Calendar: what's new?

Dream Valley: girls, girls, girls

Marker POP Challenge: pink

Pile it on: Heart

Ribbon Girls: pink and ivory

Stampin for the weekend: something girlie

I hope you're having a good week. I usually love the snow but I'm getting a wee bit miffed as we've got a covering of snow but not enough to have a few days off work lol. Still I shouldn't complain. At least this week is whizzing by, hopefully by the time  I leave work I'll be able to squint and see the weekend in the distance. Have a good day and stay warm and cosy if you can 

thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Winter Postbox

Good morning folks, its never to early to make a start on Christmas cards lol. I've used a gorgeous image called 'Winter Postbox' from Delicious Doodles for this card.

I've coloured the image with derwent inktense pencils and added lots of glitter, although it doesn't show up in the pic. The background was made simply by stamping a Chocolate Baroque snowflake stamp on some white card. I've used red, white and black card to mat and layer and added some black seam binding, a red button (it is red honest, it just hasn't shown up in the pic) and some bakers twine to embellish the card.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Christmas at Sweet Stampin: Cold and frosty

Craft A Scene: Snowy Cottage Scene

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas challenge: Recycle or use something free (the image was a prize)

Delicious Doodles: Winter theme

Hybrid Chick: Winter

Sisterhood of Crafters: Winter

Winter Wonderland: Vintage

It looks a bit like the image on this card outside today as we've got a good covering of snow and its has frozen overnight so no doubt I'll be slipping and sliding on my way to the bus stop.

Have a lovely crafty day

Thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Oriental Twilight and some snow

Good morning folks, how come Monday mornings come around so quickly? Before I rush off to work, here's a card featuring the scrummy new Eastern Landscapes stamps from Chocolate Baroque

I really love these stamps, they work so well with lots of other stamp, for this card I've combined them with stamps from Lily Pad. 

I began by creating a background using shades of green distress ink (Forest Moss, Peeled Paint and Shabby Shutters) and then overstamped with the large floral branches stamp from Lily Pad.

The create the focal image I masked a large sun and created the sky with shades of blue and purple distress ink, adding splashes of water to create a cloudy effect. I then inked in the ground using more forest moss and peeled paint distress ink. I then used the reverse of the sun mask to cover the sky and inked in the sun using Mustard Seed and a little Spiced Marigold distress ink. I then used black soot to ink all around the scene. Next came the stamping, I stamped in the beautiful pagoda and the trees using versamark ink and embossed them with a black holographic embossing powder. I then stamped the hanging lanterns along the top and embossed with the same embossing powder. I also stamped the lanterns on some scrap card, coloured with distress markers and cut them out, layering them up on the focal image with silicone glue.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Daring Cardmakers: embossability
The Squirrel and the Fox: Anything goes
Sweet Pea STampers: Clean and simple, no embellies
Through the Craft room door: anything goes
Whimsical Designs: Anything goes

Well as the title of this post suggests we've got some snow and I love snow, not as much as our lovely dogs though. Benji and Barney have been have a wonderful time playing in all the white stuff lol. Here's a pic of them in the garden. I took loads of photos but they were running round so fast, I missed the dogs on most of them lol

Have a good day and stay warm and safe

thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Nature at PanPastel UK

Good morning my lovelies, I do hope you're keeping warm in this cold snowy weather. We've got a good covering of snow and more forecast for later, how exciting! I haven't been far at all this weekend, except for a play in the park with the dogs. Isn't is bliss to have a really lazy weekend sometimes? Anyway back to business and my post today is my DT project for PanPastel UK where our theme is 'Nature' so I've combined blues, greens and whites for a fresh spring feel. As always our lucky winner will be in for a treat as they will receive a fab PanPastel Starter set from our regular sponsor Berni at Your Creativity Store! 

I began by stamping a Chocolate Baroque music stamp over an 8x8 card blank using versamark and then applied PanPastel is turquoise tint and yellow green. Next came a square of linen card punched with a MS punch around the page punch set and coloured with the same pans. Over this I added some embossed white card coloured again with the same pans and then inked with versamark and embossed with clear holographic EP. The bird cage die cut is a Marianne die, embossed with Gilded Ivory EP. The focal image is a gorgeous stamp by Crafty Individuals, coloured with promarkers, the image is layered up over a scrap of cheesecloth. I made a rose using a Paper Artsy stamp and added some tattered leaves - all coloured with turquoise tint and yellow green PanPastels. To finish off I've added a white seam binding bow and a little butterfly. The butterfly was a bit of an experiment - I wanted to try the Pebeo Fantasy paints with an embossed image - similar to Sheena's fantasy fusion technques but I'm rubbish with the lead stuff. I stamped the stampendous butterfly on acetate and embossed with white EP and then applied a generous layer of turquoise Fantasy paint, I was really pleased with the result although you have to be careful not to put too much on as the embossing is only slightly raised and if you put too much on it will flood. Hopefully you can see it a little better in this pic:

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Allsorts: Flower power

A gem of a challenge: Emboss it

Card Crafters Circle: layers

Frilly and Funky: anything goes

Totally Papercrafts: embossing

Well I don't know about you but I'm planning n spending the day in my craftroom, I've started a Christmas card (how organised am I????? lol) and I want to get it finished this morning. In fact as usual I seem to have quite a few things started and i've left myself a tiny square on my craft desk to work.  No doubt I'll spend most of the day peeking out of the window to see if its snowing, I'm such a big kid.

Have a lovely Sunday and thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Shabby Heart

Good morning, brrrrrr its certainly cold here today, perfect crafting weather :-) We had really weird snow yesterday - I've never seen such fine snow, it looked like glamour dust falling. It was sooooo pretty and has left everything all pretty and sparkly this morning.  Hopefully  todays card share will warm the cockles of your heart lol. Its a sample made with a beautiful new stamp from Chocolate Baroque, there are a range for 4 gorgeous clear heart stamps and this one is 'Fuchsia Baroque Heart'

The image is coloured with promarkers and decoupaged, you can see the detail a little better in this photo:

I've matted the image on a doily, coloured with black soot distress ink. The music background was made using Tim Holtz Tissue Wrap (available as a great Taster Size), I used a shaped card blank and applied a layer of Matte Multi Medium and then attached the tissue wrap, making sure it was crumpled and creased in places. I added some colour with distress stains (Antique Linen and Worn Lipstick). Once the background was dry I added faux pearls around the edge. The backing papers are by Prima (from the Almanac Collection), coloured with a little worn lipstick distress ink. I've added some black lace and a black organza bow to finish off.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Crafts and Me: something new

Crafty Boots: black and a bright colour

Pause Dream Enjoy: use ribbon

Oozak: anything goes plus pink and bling

Pretty Little Ribbon Shop: ribbon and flowers

Simon Says Stamp and Show: Lace

I think Saturday morning is my favourite time of the week, its bliss to be able to potter around in my pjs and not rush off to get the bus for work. 

Have a lovely weekend and thanks for visiting today

Claire xx

A Recipe Challenge at Crafty Ann's

Good morning folks, Friday at last and the weekend is in sight - thank goodness, I'm itching for a few hours in my craftroom instead of work. We're forecast to have more snow today, so hopefully I'll be able to have some fun in the park with the dogs too. Anyway this morning sees the start of our first challenge of 2013 at Crafty Ann's Challenge Blog and this time we have a recipe challenge - one image, 2 backing papers, 3 embellies but no floral embellies.

I've used Crafty Ann's gorgeous 'Bird on Blossom Branch', coloured with promarkers and two of the beautiful mottled stone backing papers, you can find them all in Crafty Ann's Digi Shop. I stamped a pretty corner stamp on the green bp and embossed with gilded ivory EP, the lilac bp is punched with a MS border punch. I've layered the bird up over a pretty doily and added some green seam binding ribbon and a brass bird charm for my third embellie.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Card and Scrap: use a punch

Crafting by Design: alcohol markers

Digital Tuesday: flower power

I love promarkers: lots of layers

Make my Monday: die cuts/punches

Right as always I'm rushing round getting ready for work so I'd better get my skates on and go and earn a crust.  Have a good day and stay cosy and warm if you can

thanks for popping by today

Claire xx

Oriental Reflections

Good morning folks, well we've got up this morning to a covering of snow and more forecast for today! How exciting, I love to see the dogs play in the snow and its the first time our puppy Barney has seen snow so its a huge adventure for him lol. Anyway, here's the first of my samples using the gorgeous new stamps from Chocolate Baroque, Glenda has released some stunning new stamps including some gorgeous hearts but my first project features the new clear stamps Eastern Landscape , they work beautifully with all the other oriental clear stamps, for this card I've combined them with stamps from 'Lily Pad'

 I began by stamping the reflection, using my new Splodge Away mat, to stamp the images using memento ink and then laying the card over the stamped mages and rolling over with my brayer to transfer the ink. I have to say I was a bit doubtful about the SplodgeMat but its fab-u-lous- definitely does what it says on the tin lol. Its so easy to position the clear stamps to make the landscape match the reflection perfectly. I used the scrunched paper technique to brayer the water and added some colour to the scene and the reflection with distress markers.

I matted the scene on some white card and then on hot pink card to pick out the pink from the waterlily and the blossoms around the top of the card.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Addicted to Stamps and More: Nature

Crafty Creations: something new

Moving along with the times: Floral Delights

Splodge Away: new beginnings

Sweet Pea Stampers: Clean and simple, no embellies

~Sorry about the washed out colours on the pic, my camera has recovered from its mug of coffee but unfortunately my photography skills haven't improved lol.Thanks for popping by, have a lovely day

Claire xx

New Year, New Technique at PanPastel UK

Good morning :-) We've got a new challenge at PanPastel UK and we want to see you use a new technique this time. I love this kind of challenge, it certainly gets the old brain cell working overtime lol. I've really been enjoying playing with the Maimeri mediums from Your Creativity Store and for my new technique I decided to try colouring the gorgeous 'Glassy Gel' with alcohol inks. 

I've made a photo frame, and gone for a masculine colour palette for my project. I used two of the square canvases and began by adding some colour with turquoise tint panpastel and a little tuquoise shade. I mixed the Glassy Gel with some ginger and expresso alcohol ink, and applied through a Crafters Workshop Template. 

I just love working with glassy gel, it really gives a gorgeous effect and I'm chuffed to bits that it takes colour so easily. Once it was dry I added shades of brown PanPastel and stamped on some Stampers Anonymous butterflies and text. I used the same colours on the inside, adding a frame made with my new nesties and a Chocolate Baroque sentiment.

I've used grungeboard hinges, coloured of course with more PanPastels to join the two canvases, adding a little Pebeo Fantasy paint to the hinges. You can see the hinges a bit better in this pic

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Crafting for all Seasons: Something new

Crazy Challenge: no designer paper

Inky Chicks: Anything goes

LEJ Designs: something new

Try it on Tuesday: New stash

Don't forget our lucky winner will receive a fabby PanPastel starter kit from the lovely Berni at Your Creativity Store so you don't want to miss out on the change to win!

Thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Trains, Planes and Automobiles at FSC

Hi there folks and happy Sunday to you. I've had another very quiet blogging week as I can't seem to shake this flu bug off and I've spent the week either at work or asleep. At last though I'm starting to feel a bit more human and actually managed to ink up a stamp yesterday (first time this year!!) so I must be on the mend. Anyway I'm here to share a card made for our new challenge at Fashionable Stamping Challenges where we have a theme of 'Trains, Planes and Automobiles' chosen by my lovely DT sister Yvonne. As usual there's a great prize up for grabs from Cottage Crafts and don't forget we're a rubber stamping challenge so make sure you get inky with us

For my DT project I've used a gorgeous digital background from Dover Publications, I thought it would be just the job for our challegne theme with the gorgeous steam train in the background. This is sooooooo beautiful its almost a shame to cover it up but of course I had to add plenty of stamping.

I began by stamping Creative Expression train tracks on vellum and embossing with Antiquitities EP, adding some black organza ribbon (recycled from a Christmas pressie lol) and a gorgeous steampunk flower created with stamps from Chocolate Baroque's 'Steampunk Christmas'. I stamped a sentiment from 'Artistic Expressions' which reads 'Listen to the whispers of your heart' and embossed with the same EP. The focal image is from Chocolate Baroque 'Steampunk Butterfly' stamp set, stamped on a distress stain background and embossed with the same EP before adding lots of idea-ology cogs and a pen nib. I also added a filigree metal corner from the Funkie Junkie Boutique to the top right of the card. Here's a slightly different angle:

and here's a close up of the butterfly:

I'm  entering this card in the following challenges:

Bird is the word: whisper

Brown Sugar: butterflies

Craft your Passion: vintage/shabby chic

Frilly and Funkie: Anything goes

Pretty Little Ribbon Shop: flowers and ribbon

Well hopefully Blogger will play nicely and post this while I'm tucked up in bed, we're forecast our first snow of the winter this weekend so I'm hoping our puppy will be able to play in the snow this morning. 

Have a lovely Sunday and thanks for popping by

Claire xx

A vintage challenge

Good morning, we're back with our first challenge for the new year at Vintage Stamping Challenges and this time our challenge is 'Vintage' with the optional extra of using your new stash. As always there is a great prize up for grabs from our generous sponsor Flonzcraft and of course my lovely teamies have come up with some gorgeous projects to inspire you 

I've used a shaped card blank, distress inks modelling paste and mica powder to create the background for this card. The two glamorous ladies are a lovely stamp by Flonzcraft - coloured with distress markers and I've decoupaged their dresses for a little more depth. I've added a fan made using a Joanna Sheen stamp, crinoline flowers made with tattered florals, a doily, buttons, feathers and faux pearls from my stash.  Here's another pic to show the detail

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Crafty Mess: sparkle/bling

Crazy 4 Challenges: ribbons and bows

Totally gorjuss: anything goes with ribbon

my poor laptop is playing up at the minute so I'm still very behind with my blog visits so apologies for not visiting, hopefully normal service will be resumed before too long

have a happy Monday

Claire xx

Anything goes at PanPastel UK

Hi there folks and a belated Happy New Year to you, I've been awol due to a nasty virus or some other lurgy which has left me as weak as a kitten. Would you believe I haven't inked up a stamp this year? Eeek thats not good is it? I am starting to feel a little better though so hopefully I'll be able to catch up before too long. Anyway its time for our first challenge of the new year with PanPastel UK and we've got a nice easy one for you, 'Anything Goes'. We've also got some exciting news to share too, we have some lovely new teamies joining us so do pop over to the challenge blog and say hello to Terry and Tracie. As always Berni, our generous sponsor from Your Creativity Store has a fab PanPastel starter set up for grabs for our lucky winner

I've created a misty winter scene for my DT project, using black, white, Paynes Grey, neutral grey and a little Diarylide yellow PanPastel all applied with Sofft tools. I used  tree stamps from Sheena Douglass and created the little houses using PanPastels and my new toy - a battery operated pencil eraser (a real bargain as it was about £3 from good old fleabay).  I oversprayed the scene with Perfect 

PEarls mist to add to the misty effect but it doesn't like having its photo taken lol. You can see the effect a bit better in this pic:

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Charisma Cardz: Monochrome

Hiding in my craft room: Black & white plus one

Simon Says Stamp and Show: anything goes

Stempel Sonne: Snow

Well thanks for popping by, hope you're having a good weekend. Now I'm on the mend i'll try and catch up with my lovely blogland buddies over the next few days so all being well I'll see you soon

Claire xx