A Sketch challenge at PanPastel UK

Good morning folks, my second post of the day, this time for our new challenge at PanPastel UK where we have a sketch designed by the lovely Pete to inspire you this week Our lucky winner will receive a fab PanPastel starter kit (only available to UK winners due to postage increases) and of course the honor of a place on our Wall of Fame and a winners badge for your blog! 

I've created a background with PanPastels and also used my trusty pans to colour some card i'd embossed with an embossing folder. I made a little fold over envelope (using a spellbinders bauble die lol) to hide a secret message and added some twine and a seahorse charm . The sentiment is a rubber stamp from PolkaDoodles again on a PanPastel background. The focal image is a digistamp from Sweet Pea stamps, isn't she gorgeous? I was lucky enough to win some Sweet Pea digis recently and I'm really loving colouring them up.  I've coloured her with Graph'it Markers. You can see her a bit better in this pic:

To finish off i've added some beaded trim to echo the effect of water droplets and a seam binding bow.

I'm entering this in the following challenges:

Crafty Sentiments: girl power

Creative Card Crew: No designer paper

Delicious Doodles: use a charm

Marker Pop: die cuts

Penny's Paper Crafty: Girl power

Word Art Wednesday : anything goes

Thanks for popping by, have a good Sunday

Claire xx

Mail time at FSC

Good morning my lovelies, how's your weekend going? Better than mine I hope, yesterday was  a nightmare, my shopping was nearly 2 hours late being delivered, the lawn mower gave up the ghost and I received a ginormous phone bill (but of course my son never phones mobiles from the landline lol). Anyway onward and upward, at least there's no post today so I can't get any more bills but talking of post we've got a new challenge at Fashionable Stamping Challenges and our theme this time is 'Mail Time'. Our lucky winner will receive a voucher from our generous sponsor Leo at Flonzcraft so ink up those stamps and join in to be in with a chance of winning! If you need some inspiration check out my talented teamies fab creations.

I've got a bit of a thing for mail art, so I've thrown the lot at this project. I started with a bp from 7 Gypsies, distressed and layered up on some red card. I stamped the image (Two Birds on a Branch from Flonzcraft) on some of my fab perforated postage paper from Chocolate Baroque which I'd masked with some fine masking tape. I inked the around the image with distress ink and layered it up over a postcard blank (also from Chocolate Baroque. I added a postage stamp sentiment using a stamp and die from Whimsy stamps. The postmark and 'bon voyage' stamps are both from Choc Baroque. To finish off I've added some feathers,  sparkly red beads, riibbon, paper flowera and a rose made with tattered pine cone die.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Cards and More: Travel

Happy Campers: Bling
Inky Chicks: anything goes
Its all about the vintage: distressing/tearing
Rhedd and Rosie: take flight

Thanks so much for popping by today, have a great day
Claire xx

We're off!! Our first challenge at Graph'It Markers!!

Good morning my lovelies, Friday at last and its a very exciting day as its our very first challenge at the Graph'It Markers Colour Challenge blog and our theme is 'New Beginnings' with a twist you can only use 7 markers (plus skin colours). You don't have to use Graph'It markers but once you've tried them you'll love em!! There's an amazing prize up for grabs, a selection of goodies  from Premium Art Brands and PolkaDoodles worth over £50!! Definitely not to be missed :-)

I've used one of the gorgeous bunnies from the PolkaDoodles Cherry Blossom Lane CD (I told you I'd fallen in love with these cuties!) I've coloured him with Graph'its, I thought it would be a real challenge to use only 7 pens but these makers blend so beautifully it was easy. The colours just melt in to each other and with the Mix'It palette you can mix any inbetweeny shades you need. Here's a closer pic of the image:

These are the markers I've used:

The image is layered up over a doily. The papers are all from Cherry Blossom Lane as is the fab ticket sentiment. I made the bunting in MS publisher, cut it out and popped in on some bakers twine and layered it up with 3d foam pads. I've added some pretty ribbon, little buttons and twine bows, and  a silver boat charm

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Artistic Inspirations: fur or feathers

Aud Sentiments: Summer

Crafts and Me: Anything goes

Crafty Ribbons: anything goes with ribbon

Fab'n'Funky: doily

MilkCoffee: summer fun

Paper Shelter: buttons/brads

Twisted Tuesday: Nautical with a twist 

(my 7 embellies are charm, two ribbons, twine, buttons, bunting, doily)

I hope you're going to join us for our first challenge, pop over to the challenge blog and check out my teamies gorgeous projects! Have a great day and thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Thank you challenge at CRAFT

Good morning folks, well we're finally seeing a bit of sunshine here in my little corner of the UK, just hope it lasts until the weekend so I can enjoy it :-). Today's card is my GDT offering for the new challenge at CRAFT where the theme is 'Thank You (Teacher)'. As always the team have some great prizes up for grabs, this week the challenge is sponsored by Crimson Cloud, Doodle Dragons, QKR Stampede and Trimgym's digistamps. For my card i've used a digistamp from QKR Stampede, I really love these quirky stamps, they are so cute!

I've made an easel card using kraft for my base card and some freebie papers from a magazine. I've coloured the image with Graph'it markers and added some paper flowers, dew drops,a heart embellie and a little satin bow. I was lucky enough to win a new bowmaker from Craft Dee Bowz and it arrived last week, its fab!! So easy to tie pretty bows, I love it :-)

I'm entering this in the following challenges:

Card mania: kraft

Craft Dee bowz: celebrate summer plus bow

Craft your passion: in the garden

Digi Makeover: ties

Eureka Stamps: summertime fun

Kaboodle doodles: pastel colours

well I'm scooting off to work now, feeling a bit sorry for myself as I'm getting a cold!! How annoying is that when we finally get some half decent weather? Still it could be worse, at least i'm not on leave. Don't you just hate having a cold when you've got a week off work. 

Have a good day and thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Peacock Easel Card

Good morning my lovelies, todays card features one of the scrummy new stamps from Peacock Parade, one of this month's new stamp releases from Chocolate Baroque. I love the bright zingy colours we associate with peacocks but I decided to create a more muted project with a masculine feel so I've used blacks and greys (a bit like the sky here lately lol)

I used a shaped card blank and covered it with papers from the Peacock Summer Party Cd, adding faux stitching around the edges with a black fineline pen. I also covered another card front with the same paper for the front of the easel. I stamped the peacock 3 times with versamark on some pewter card  and embossed with sparkly black embossing powder. You can see the sparkle a little better in this pic

I've decoupaged the image and added some gems in the corners and created a large black bow to prop the easel up. I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

A gem of a challenge: male birthday

Crafters Cafe: Male

Dream Valley: fathers day/male theme

Joanna Sheen: fathers day/male theme

Little Claire's: Male theme

Scribbles Designs: Mainly men

Monday morning again so I'm off to work to earn some pennies

Thanks for popping by, have a happy Monday

Claire xx

Lots of layers at PanPastel UK

Good morning my lovelies, hope you're having a good weekend. I haven't been around much over the past few days as my internet is really playing up, not sure if its the weather or what but hopefully it will soon be back to normal. Anyway back to the important stuff, we've got a new challenge starting at PanPastel UK and this week our theme is 'Lots of  Layers' . Of course you don't have to use PanPastels but we love it when you do :-) As usual our lucky winner will receive a fab PanPastel starter kit from Berni our lovely sponsor at Your Creativity Store although due to the latest increase in postage, the prize will only be available to UK entrants but of course there's always the honour of the PanPastel winners badge for your blog. Here's my DT project for this weeks challenge:

My lovely friend Shirley made a similar project to this a few weeks ago (have a look here, its fab!) and I just had to have a go at making one, Shirl was inspired by this video tut by the talented Miranda. I've used stamps by Indigo Blu and Chocolate Baroque, all the layers have been coloured with PanPasels (of course lol) in Magenta and Turquoise and distressed with a little black. I overstamped with a gorgeous button card stamp from Indigo Blu and added a little black velvet ribbon belt with a blingy buckle.

I popped my dress form up on a little cake stand thingy from the pack of Wendy Vecci art parts that i've been hoarding for ages, I gave it a coat of Maimeri Gesso, coloured with Pans and stamped with a fabric texture stamp from Indigo blu.. I've added lots of embellies, including paper flower, flowers made with Maimeri Light Modelling Paste and a silicone mould. I've also added a few charms, a butterfly,  a teeny tiny coathanger and a fan. I've also added lace, velvet ribbon and some iridescent bead trim. The sentiment is a stamp from Chocolate Baroque and I've popped it in a little frame from the pound shop. The dinky little cotton reel is from The Funkie Junkie Boutique, wound with some embroidery silk from my cross stitching days. 

I'm entering this one in the following challenges:

Country View Crafts: die cuts

Crafty Friends: use a charm

Little Red Wagon: No patterned paper

Inspired by Stamping: Vintage

Sparkles Forum: Vintage or steampunk

Sugar Creek Hollow: Mixed media

Thanks for popping by, have a lovely crafty day

Claire xx

Summer birthday at PolkaDoodles

Hellooooo, Friday at last and even better I'm working from home this morning :-) I am working honest, hopefully Mr Blogger will post this for me while I've got my nose to the grindstone lol. My card today is for our new challenge at Polkadoodles where the theme is Summer Birthday.

I've used an image and backing papers from Cherryblossom Lane cd from Polkadoodles (of course), now i'm not usually a big fan of animal stamps but I just luuuuurve the bunnies on this cd so I expect you'll be seeing a few more before long lol. The image is coloured with Graph'It and Flexmarkers, inked with distress ink . I've added a punched border, some faux stitching, some scalloped lace and a satin bow topped with a pink rose, The sentiment is also from the same cd, these ticket sentiments are fab! Here's another pic of the image:

To finish off I've popped some little faux pearls in the corners

I'm entering this one in the following challenges:

Digi Makeover: punches/dies

Divas by Design: distressing

fab'n'Funky: animals

In the pink: Pink flowers

Pollycraft: anything goes

I don't know about summer birthdays, it looks more like November outside today, its so dull and we've had torrential rain (again!!) and its forecast to rain all weekend, what that all about? Not good but i suppose its perfect crafting weather as I won't feel bad about leaving the weeds again lol.

 Have a good day and thanks for popping by

Claire xx

CRAFT GDT - Recipe challenge

Good morning everyone, will this sunshine last until the weekend? It better after I've spent the last day or so sweltering in my office although I'm told that rain is forecast.  My card today is my GDT project for CRAFT challenge where we've got a recipe challenge for you: the recipe is image, pearls/rhinestones, sentiment and ribbon. As always there are some fab prizes up for grabs, the sponsors for this weeks challenge are: Patties creations, Flonzcraft, Lauretta's Digital Stamps. I adore Flonzcraft stamps and have loads so i've used one of the cuties from Anime Manga Girls (available here)

The background papers are from the gorgeous Pretty Sweet Cd from PolkaDoodles and i've coloured the image with Graph'It markers adding some distress ink around the edges. I've added a doily, some die cut shapes, paper flowers (gesso'd and glittered) along with some pretty lace, ribbon and faux pearls. The sentiment is also from the  Pretty Sweet. i've used kraft card for matting and layering.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

A little bit crafty: something sweet

Amusing Challenges: ribbon or twine

Card mania: kraft

Creative Corner: girly girl

Digi Darla: use a doily

Well as per usual i'm off to earn a crust so thanks for popping by, have a lovely day

Claire xx

My Favourite Mask at SplodgeAway

Hello again, i'm back with my second card of the day, this time its for SplodgeAway who are featuring our Favourite Masks this week. Its so difficult to choose a favourite mask, they are all gorgeous so I took the easy option and picked one of  the masks I use most, the Fancier Lattice Mask (you can find it here)

I've made an easel card (why can't I take pics of easel cards?? They always look a really weird angle for some reason) Anyway I've applied Seedless Preserves distress ink to the mask and embossed it with my Grand Calibur, I've found that if you apply the ink with a brayer from the SplodgeAway Mat it gives a much more subtle finish. The image is from Crafts and Me, and the sentiment is from Chocolate Baroque.

I've added some ribbon, paper flowers a little lock charm and some pretty gems to finish off.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Make my Monday: Purple/neutral

Quirky Crafts: more than one fold

The Stamp Spot: Feminine Creations

Tuesday throwdown: Fantasy

If you've got a minute pop over to the SplodgeAway blog and my lovely teamies are showcasing all their favourite masks this week and as always they have made some stunning projects

Thanks for popping by today, its lovely to see you :-)

Claire xx

Peacock Flowers from Chocolate Baroque

Morning all, hope you're having a good week. I've got a card to share, made using the gorgeous new peacock stamps from Chocolate Baroque today.

I've created a background using distress inks (Mowed Lawn, Picked Raspberry and Peacock Feathers) and stamped the large Art Nouveau feather (from Tangled Peacock) in the corners with versamark before embossing with WOW Gold embossing powder. I made the flower by stamping the stylised peacock feather stamps on some scraps of backing paper from Peacock Summer Party. I embossed them with gold embossing powder, cut them out and layered them up to create the flower. In the centre I've added bottlecap with a glass cabochon. To finish off I've added some gold die cut swirls.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Country View Crafts: die cutting

Crafty Friends: Favourite colour combo

Eureka Stamps: anything goes

Created with love: Your favourite things 

(My favourite things are Chocolate Baroque stamps, distress inks, WOW EPs)

Hiding in my Craft Room: die cuts

Thanks for popping by today

Claire xx

Making a splash

Helloooooo, Monday morning yippeeeee!! If i say it often enough I might believe it lol. Anyway before i rush off to work he's a very quick card made with a gorgeous freebie stamp from Papercraft Essentials. Although I'm still on my stash diet (well, ish) I didn't think a magazine counted.

I stamped the gorgeous quirky image (from Acid Drops and Whatnots) on a kraft card blank and coloured her with Graph'It markers (you really have to try these pens, the colours really pop compared to other markers). I masked her and roughly sketched in sea and sky using my favourite PanPastels. The sentiment was also a freebie with Papercraft Essentials.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Bastel Traum: water

Creative Inspirations Paint: red white and blue

Eclectic Ellapu: celebrate summer sunshine

Penny Black and more: clean and simple

Simon Says Stamp and Show: kraft

Totally Papercrafts: feeling blue

Its definitely not paddling weather here yet, in fact its hard to believe its the middle of June, hopefully summer sunshine isn't too far away. Well I'd better scoot off to work

Thanks for popping by, 

Claire xx

Wooooo hooooo, exciting news to share :-)

Hi there, hope you're having a lovely Sunday, I've been beavering away in my craft room (that always sounds a bit rude doesn't it ??)  but before I go and put my paws up for the evening, I have got some super duper exciting news. Anyone who knows me will tell you that I'm a proper chatterbox so I've been absolutely bursting to tell you that:

 

Get that fancy blinkie too lol!! I was lucky enough to test these markers for Berni from Premium Art Brands last year and they are fab! I'm in marker heaven right now as I really wasn't expecting to be chosen for the DT, in fact I'm still pinching my self lol. I've got some uber talented teamies too so  make sure you pop over to the Graph'It Blog and meet them, I'm sure there'll be some familiar faces and you're bound to know our Team Leader, the lovely Nikky Hall from Polka Doodles! Our first challenge is coming up and there are going to be some a-ma-zing prizes up for grabs so you don't want to miss out on a chance to win :-) 

Right I'm off back to play with those luvverly markers! 

thanks for popping by 

Claire xx

Male theme at PanPastel UK

Good morning, we've got a new challenge starting at PanPastetl UK and this week we'd like to see projects with a male theme. As always our lucky winner will receive a PanPastel starter set from our lovely sponsor Berni at Your Creativity Store so don't miss out :-). I don't have many male themed stamps, and love to create sea/sky effects so this was a great excuse for me to create a nautical card. 

I began by created the background using a Pronty Alphabet Mask. I laid down some turquoise PanPastel and lightly brushed some Raw Umber PanPastel through it, I overstamped with some text. Next I created the little seascape using PanPastels in various shades of blue and turquoise. I cut a porthole shaped frame and added some dots of cosmic shimmer glue.

The Embellie was made using Maimeri Iridescent medium coloured with PanPastels in shades of brown, buttered onto one of my favourite stamps from the Stampman, I inked the stamp up with gold stazon first and  left it for a couple of days to dry

:

To finish off i've added a nautical knot using some string and an old button

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Artistic Stamper: makes for me

Crafting for all seasons: Masculiine

Get Inky: boys/men

Milkcoffee: Male inspired

Sisterhood of Crafters: masculine

Top Tip Tuesday: masculine

Totally Gorjuss: for dad

Well as usual on Sunday morning there is a ginormous pile of ironing calling my name so i'd better scoot and get it done so I can grab some time in my craft room. Have a lovely day and thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Show Us Something new at FSC

Hi there folks, how's your weekend going? Hope you're having a good un :-) We've got a new challenge starting at Fashionable Stamping Challenges and this time around we want you to 'Show us something new' - some new crafty stash, a new technique .... you get the idea, just remember to include some stamping. Our lucky winner will receive a prize from our fab sponsor Leo at Flonzcraft!

I decided to make a little altered domino book - a first for me as I've never made one before and I'm not likely to make another, these babies are tiny and when you're as blind as a bat and clumsy to boot this isn't the best kind of project to tackle lol. The front and back of the domino were coloured with alcohol inks (lettuce and stream) and stamped with one of the 'Urban Landscapes' stamps from Flonzcraft.

Inside the little concertina bit was made with distress inks (peeled paint and tumbled glass) and then stamped with more of the Urban Landscapes stamps, I did a bit of second generation stamping to add some depth . The birds are a stamp from Chocolate Baroque, I cut the words I wanted from another Chocolate Baroque stamp and popped them on with some wet glue. All going smoothly so far .....

I glued black beads and some green and blue microbeads around the edges with my hot glue gun and also glued on some silver bead caps and black bead feet - smart idea until the dratted thing wouldn't stand up. This is where things started to go horribly wrong, you don't want to see how many beads went all over me,  my desk and the dogs,  hot glue stringy stuff everywhere - not a  pretty sight lol   OMG it took me ages to position the feet so it would stand up. Next I assembled it and then promptly lost it, after a bit of a panic incase Barney had eaten it (he's a lab and eats anything and everything) I found it and broke one of the feet off. Aaaarrrggggh! Anyway hot glue gun to the rescue but of course now the joker won't stand up again!  Talk about a creative journey lol.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Aud Sentiments: anything goes

Creative Card Crew: metal pins/charms etc

DominoArt: anygame goes

Sweet pea stampers: birds of a feather

Totally Papercrafts: feeling blue

Well I think after all that crafty drama i'm going for a lie down lol. Do pop over to the challenge blog as my talented teamies have come up with some fab-u-lous projects to inspire you 

Thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Christmas at CRAFT

Good morning my lovelies, I usually make Christmas cards all year round but I've got to confess this is my first one this year! I've got to thank the lovely gang at CRAFT challenge for giving me a kick start as   I'm joining the team as GDT this month and our theme for this weeks challenge is 'Christmas'. As always there are some fab prizes up for grabs, with goodies from Bugaboo, Floppy Latte, Gingerloft  and QKR Stampede. I've used an image from QKR Stampede for my GDT card

I've used a MS punch to create the card front, I never get these quite straight lol so I've added some buttons and bakers twine to cover the slightly dodgy bits. The supercute image is from QKR Stampede, perfect for a boys Chrismtas card. I've coloured with promarkers and glittered with glamour dust. I've used a bp from my Christmas stash box, added some ribbon and a couple of little bells with a stamped sentiment. The bells were a real bargain, I got a wreath made of bells from the pound shop just after Christmas!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Crafty Sentiments: for a male
Creative Moments: Weather
LEJ Designs: something for the boys
Papertake Weekly: hello boys
Whimsy Inspiration: shaped cards
Use it Tuesdays: Masculine

If you've got a min, check out the CRAFT challenge blog for some inspiration from the team.
Well as usual I'm rushing off to work so have a good day and thanks for popping by today
Claire xx

Peacock Summer Party

Good morning and Happy Wednesday, if you squint you can nearly see the weekend lol. Today's card features some of the new Peacock Stamps from Chocolate Baroque, pop over and have a look as they are on special offer this month! 

I've used a backing paper from the Peacock Summer PArty Cd. I've stamped the peacock on Neenah cardstock and coloured with promarkers and flexmarkers. I've stamped the edges with a feather stamp from the same stamp set using distress inks. I've matted the image and the backing paper on card coloured with distress inks. I've added some die cut branches and blossoms die cut with spellbinders dies.

I'm entering this in the following challenges:

Bunny Zoe's: wings

CD Sunday: fine plumage

Paper Playtime: anything goes

Sweet Pea Stampers: birds of a feather

Totally Papercrafts:punches/dies

Thanks for calling by today, if you've got a minute pop over and check out the Chocolate Baroque DT blog, its chockablock with gorgeous projects from my lovely teamies

Claire xx

Mr Darcy

Good morning my lovelies, my project this morning is my entry for this months challenge at Indigo Blu where the them  is 'Backgrounds Galore'. I had a lovely messy time with lots of gesso, Flitter Glu and gilding flakes making my project.

On one side I've used Mr Darcy from the stamp set 'Mr Darcy', he's been coloured with promarkers. I painted the heart with black gesso and once that was dry I stamped around the edges with Flitter Glu and added gilding flakes. I've added some hearts made with Maimiri Light Modelling Paste coloured with PanPastel and highlighted with treasure gold. I also decorated the back, I think I got a bit carried away with the gilding flakes on the background lol.

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

Crafting Musketeers: Stamped image

Crafting when we can: mad for markers

Marker POP : Love theme

Seemacrafts: mixed media

Thanks so much for calling by today, 

Claire xx

Spirograph Mask and PanPastels

Good morning, folks and a warm welcome to my new followers.  Monday morning so I'm back at work, yuk!!!! but before I go I just wanted to share a card made for the recent Sensational Stencilling show on C&C. I've used the Pronty Spirograph mask for the background but unfortunately the pic hasn't picked up the detail.

I applied Ultramarine Blue PanPastel through the Spirograph mask with a duster brush and sealed with hairspray. The image is a digstamp from Sweet Pea Stamps, she's been coloured with Graph'It makers. To create the effect of transparent sparkly wings, I painted over her wing with Oyster Twinkling H2o. I've used blue card to mat and layer and added a little blue seam binding bow. The daisy was made by using Maimeri Light Modelling Paste in a silicone mould, coloured with PanPastels.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

My Time to Craft: Fairytale

Alphabet Challenge: I is for image

Chocolate Coffee and Cards: fantasy/ fairies

Little Claire's: open challenge

The Hobby House: anything goes

Well I'm off to work now, hope you're enjoying the sunshine :-)

Thanks for popping by today, 

Claire xx

Anything goes at PanPastel UK

Good morning my lovelies, hope you're having a good weekend and enjoying the sunshine. For a change my garden is looking tidy (well if you ignore all the holes Barney has dug in the lawn) so I'm hoping the sun will shine and I can sit outside and read. I always think crafting outside sounds lovely but it never seems to work somehow, pens roll off to be eaten by Barney, the wind blows my stuff all over - you get the picture lol. Anyway I'm rambling on and I should be telling you about our new challenge at PanPastel UK where our theme this week is Anything Goes. As always our lucky winner will get a fab PanPastel Starter Kit from our generous sponsor Berni from Your Creativity Store

Its a nice easy theme so I've made a quick and easy card. I've use kraft card and one of the gorgeous Pronty Masks to create the background - Maimeri Light modelling paste through the mask , coloured with Permanent Red Shade PanPastel. I stamped the swirly heart (from Chocolate Baroque) on some more kraft card and embossed with WOW Vanilla White EP . I die cut the heart with a circle die and edged it with some gorgeous gingham trim from The Funkie Junkie Boutique. I just loooooove gingham!! To finish off I've added some little heart shaped pearls in the corners and a heart embellie. I made the heart by using more light modelling paste, this time in a silicone mould and again coloured with Permanent Red PanPastel.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Crafty Ribbons: circles

Charisma Cardz: tons of layers

Crafting for all Seasons: Wedding or anniversary

Papertake Weekly: anything goes

Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes

Have a lovely day and thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Reflections with the SplodgeAway Mat

Good morning and a big yippppeeeee cos the weekend is here at last. I'm getting a bit fed up of this working for a living lark, I think I'm going to have to find a rich man or win the lottery so I can become a lady of leisure lol. In the meantime I'll have to make the most of my crafty time at the weekends. This week on the SplodgeAway Blog, we're showcasing the fabulous SplodgeAway Mat and I've done a quick tutorial on how to create a really easy reflection using your SplodgeAway Mat if you fancy having a peek.

I've created a brayered scene using Lavinia Stamps, Memento inks, markers and my Splodge Away Mat. I won't go in to all the deets as you can find out more on the SplodgeAway Blog. Its soooooo easy to create a reflection using your SplodgeAway mat. Once I'd created the refections I brayered the background, using the Fairy Stenskape masks to mask the hills and stamped in the images in the foreground and some foliage along the top

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Amusing Challenges: Masking

Cupcake Craft: summer scene

Eclectic Ellapu: things with wings

Flutter by Wednesday : open

Natalie and Amy's : Fantasy

Shopping or Stash: no patterned paper

Thanks for popping by, have a lovely day :-)

Claire xx

Exciting News!!!

Good morning folks, I've got lots of exciting news to share this morning! I was over the moon when the lovely Nikky Hall asked me to join the Polka Doodles DT, and it took me about a millisecond to say yes lol. So today I'm sharing my first DT project for the new challenge over at Polkadoodles where the theme is to use your scraps to make a birthday card.

Now as a Polka Doodles newbie you'd think I didn't have too many scraps but I soon remedied that as I almost melted my printer with all the gorgeous bps from Nikky's fab cds so I'd got a heap of projects ready to put together and a heap of scraps too. For this card I've used the beautiful Pretty Sweet CD, it has the most scrummy bps and the images are just adorable. I made a kind of patchwork effect with some of the scraps, adding faux pearls in the corners and used peach card to mat and layer. The focal image is coloured with Graph'It markers, apart from the hair I just used the skintones to colour her dress. I looooove these pens! I die cut the image with nesties and stamped around the edges with flowers and foliage stamps from the clear stamp set 'Be Neighbours'.

I created a flower by die cutting some more scraps of backing paper and layering them up with some netting fabric flowers cut with the same die (tattered florals. I've added a Doodle dew drop to the centre of the flower. The sentiment is also from the CD, Nikky's cds have the most fab sentiments!. To finish off i've added a little seam binding bow, a button and some bakers twine.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Craft Room Challenge: use your scraps

Emma's Cards UK : anything goes

Inky Impressions: birthday/anniversary

Paper Shelter: flower

Penny's Paper Crafty: birthday

Stamp and Create: Summer fun

The weekend is nearly here so I'll be watching the clock at work today. I hope you're going to have a rummage in your scrap box and join our challenge :-)

Thanks for popping by today

Claire xx

White Peacock from Chocolate Baroque

Hi there folks, my second post of the day and this time my project features the gorgeous new Peacock stamps from Chocolate Baroque? They are absolutely scrummy and my card today features one of the stamps from Peacock Parade. I have a really vivid memory of a beautiful white peacock sat on a branch at twilight, his feathers really seemed to glow in the dim light and I wanted to try and capture the effect.

I began by creating the background using distress inks (pumice stone, walnut stain, picket fence and tumbled glass) and overstamped with the feather from Tangled Peacock and embossed with WOW white EP. I stamped the peacock image on white card and embossed with white EP and added colour with distress markers and lots of water. I've added some lace and ribbon from my stash and a little paper flower made with my tattered pine cone die.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Bearly Mine: dies/punches
Crazy Amigo: distress inks/stains etc
Creative Card Crew: punches/dies
Ooh La La: inspired by nature
Tuesday Throwdown: embossing
WOW embossing powder: nature

Don't forget to check out the Chocolate Baroque DT blog as my teamies have created some gorgeous projects with the new stamps.
Thanks for popping by
Claire xx

Complex geo-celtic framer from SplodgeAway

Good morning my lovelies, hope you're having a good week so far and enjoying the lovely blue sky and sunshine. I haven't seen much of at as i've been a work mores the pity. This mornings card uses the beautiful new Complex Geo-celtic mask from SplodgeAway. I love to use these masks to create a pretty frame for my cards :-)

I've applied Maimeri Light Modelling Paste through the mak and left it todry, once it was dry i've coloured it with Worn Lipstick distress ink and then popped the mask back in place and sprayed very lightly with Spray and Sparkle (one tip, keep you phone out of the way when you're using this stuff or you'll end up with a very sparkly phone lol)

I've used the frame with a pretty LOTV stamp that I coloured with distress markers. the sentiment is  a stamp from chocolate Baroque, stamped with Worn Lipstick. I've added a seam binding bow, a paper flower from Wild Orchid Crafts and a butterfly that I made with the SplodgeAway Butterfly Creator mask, glamour dust and tiny pearls.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Eureka Stamps: wedding

Loves Rubber Stamps: anything goes

Marker pop: love theme

Papertake weekly: anything goes

Shopping our Stash: no patterned paper

Well I'd better scoot off and catch the bus to work, its all good fun isn't it?

thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Super detailed floral framer from SplodgeAway

Good morning, isn't it nice to have some better weather?  I'm always up with the lark and I feel so much more human when the sun is shining lol. My card this morning features the beautiful Super Details Floral Framer mask from SplodgeAway, I've used the mask to create a frame for this gorgeous digi stamp from Saturated Canary.

I've used distress ink to create the frame, through the mask and also added in some detail with a waterbrush. The image is coloured with promarkers (sorry about the slightly blurred pic) and i've added a sentiment using a clear stamp from Chocolate Baroque. To finish off i've added faux gems to the flower centres, a bow and a paper flower.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Allsorts: here come the girls

Crafty Friends: anything goes

Corrosive Challenge: I've been framed

Divas by Design: tie a ribbon

Fab'n'Funky: Girly

Sparkles Forum: Monochromatic

Stampin for the weekend: Monochrome

Thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Childhood at Vintage Stamping Challenges

Good morning folks, well I'm not sure that its a good morning as i'm back at work this morning after my week off so I'm a wee bit grumpy today. Today's project is for our new challenge at Vintage Stamping Challenges where our theme is 'Childhood'. As always our lucky winner will receive a fab prize from our generous sponsor Flonzcraft so get those stamps inked up and play along for a chance to win.

I've made an inky background using distress inks and stamps from Indigo Blu. The focal image is from Flonzcraft, I just love this lovely image of Mum reading to her little ones. I've coloured the image with promarkers and dir cut it with nesties.

I've created a border using an Indigo Blu Stamp and also used a sentiment from Indigo Blu. I've added a heart shaped doily, some seam binding flowers, a bow and some pretty pearl pins

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Crafting by designs: anything goes

Crafty Catz: Story book/nursery rhyme

Creative moments: lots of layers

Passion for Promarkers: ribbon/lace or twine

The Ribbon Girls: Add a die cut

Simon Says Stamp: anything goes

If you've got a minute do pop over and check out my teamies beautiful projects, they are such a lovely talented bunch of ladies.I'd better get my skates on and go earn some pennies, have a lovely day and thanks for popping by today.

Claire xx

Tag it at PanPastel

Good morning folks, and a big warm welcome to my new followers! 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 'Tag it'. Our lucky winner will receive a fabby PanPastel starter set from Berni, our lovely sponsor from Your Creativity Store.

I've used some kraft resist as a base for my tag, coloured with violet PanPastel and overstamped with a swirl stamp from Indigo Blu, embossed with gold EP. I've added some seambinding and lace, coloured with PanPastel and created some embellies with Maimeri Mediums.

The keyhole was made by mixing Maimeri iridescent medium with violet PanPastel and 'buttering' it over a Chocolate Baroque stamp (from Key to my dreams stamp set) that I'd inked up with black stazon ink. It takes a couple of days to dry properly but I just love the way the medium picks up all the detail!! 

I've added a little metal butterfly (from The Ribbon Girl) which has been given a coat of Maimeri Gesso and coloured with violet PanPastel and a little treasure gold, i've added a little key for his body. The roses have been made by using some of the PanPastel/Iridescent paste in a silicone flower mould, again they take a good while to dry but I think they are so pretty. The gold flowers were made with Maimier Glassy gel and beadazzles, again using a silicone mould.

To finish off i've addded a die cut swirl and stamped the sentiment from the same stamp set.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Crafts and Me: shabby chic

Loves rubber stamps: bows

Make my Monday: handmade embellishments

Papercraft Star: handmade flowers

Well my week off work seems to have whizzed by and I'll be back at work tomorrow so I'm going to make the most of my last day of freedom lol. H

Have a lovely day and thanks for popping by

Claire xx