Octopus hugs from Chocolate Baroque

a card made using the fun new stamps Steampunk Funky Fish and  Steampunk Sea World. I've made a theatre style card by taking two rectangular pieces of card, scoring at 2cm and 4cm in from either end. When you join the two end sections it gives a really fun card that still folds flat to post.

To decorate the card I cur a circular aperture in the front section and used a stencil and texture paste to create the brick effect. Once the paste was dry I added some colour with distress inks in Tea Dye and Vintage Photo.

On the back section of the card I stamped the steampunk bubble machine three times and embossed with gold embossing powder and added some colour with markers before inking around the images with Tumbled Glass distress ink.

The octopus was stamped with memento tuxedo black ink and coloured with Graph'It markers. I cut the octopus out and mounted it on some acetate. I folded a flap over at the top of the acetate and stuck it to the back of the card. I love this technique, I first saw Glenda demonstrate it years ago and it's great for giving your image some movement. Here's pic to (hopefully) show the acetate strip.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

CRAFT: Anything goes

Crafting by Designs: embossing

Creative Knockouts: anything goes

Divas by Design: anything goes

Paper Shelter: anything goes

Penny's Paper Crafty: anything goes

Sweet Stampin: anything goes

Thanks for visiting today, hope to see you again soon

Claire xx

Winter Scene at Craft a Scene

Hi there my lovelies, I hope you're enjoying the Christmas break and that Santa has been good to you all. My project today is for our 'Winter Scene' Challenge over at Craft a Scene and we're all a wee bit sad as its our last challenge. Its been a joy to be part of such a wonderful talented team but all good things come to an end so its onward and upward as we move on to new crafty adventures!

I've made a little wall hanging using a base of corrugated card that I dry brushed with Maimeri White Gesso. The scene was stamped using lots of different stampscapes stamps on glossy cardstock and coloured with distress inks and a blending tool. I used Evergreen Bough, Iced Spruce and Tumbled Glass with a little gathered twigs too. Then I used a white pigment ink pad to stamp some grasses.

I used a quickie glue pen and some glamour dust to add some icy sparkle here and there although its not showing in the pic. To finish off I added snowflakes with a white Graph'It Shake pen and also dusted off some Glimmer Chips to embellish the corners.

I'mm entering this project in the following challenges:

Crafting for all seasons: anything Christmas but a card

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas: anything Christmas

Docerela Creations: anything goes

Inky Impressions: winter wonderland

My time to craft: Christmas trees

Sweet Stampin: anything goes

That's Crafty: Anything goes

Winter Wonderland: fussy and fancy

I'm planning on spending the evening colouring and eating chocolate, what could be better??
have a great day and thanks for popping by
Claire xx

Christmas inspiration at PanPastel UK

Good morning my lovelies, its inspiration time at PanPastel UK and you've still got loads of time to play along with our 'Christmas Challenge' which is running until 3rd January. As always there's a fab prize for our lucky winner from Premium Craft Brands

I've had lots of Christmassy fun altering this wooden ornament that I got for 50p in the poundshop sale last year, what a bargain!! I stencilled the brick over the letters with Maimeri Light Modelling Paste and then once it was dry coloured the bricks with Burnt Sienna and a little Raw Umber PanPastel. I've coloured the Dutch Doobadoo fence and lanterns with more PanPastels (applying versamark ink first to get more depth of colour). 

The Dutch Doobadoo snowflakes were coloured with PanPastel Course White medium for a gorgeous shimmer. The 'Christmas  Trees' are actually Dutch Doobadoo Laser Art Ferns, coloured with PanPastels and turned upside down before being decorated with glitter glue. I added the stamped images (from Lili of the Valley, coloured with my Graph'It markers of course).

 To finish off I created some more snow along the bottom of the scene and on the letters by applying Maimeri Light Modelling Paste and sprinkling on lots of crushed glass glitter

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

A Crafty Mess: anything goes/ traditional Christmas colours

Allsorts: last minute gifts

Bearly Mine: Christmas decoration

Brown Sugar: Christmas

Completely Christmas: anything goes with your own twist (mine is recycling)

Natalie and Amy's : cute and cuddly Christmas

Wags'n'Whiskers: Merry Christmas

Winter Wonderland: fussy and fancy

Thanks for visiting today, 

Claire xx

Dutch Doobadoo Dutch Paper Art A5 Fences	Label Art Snowflakes	Dutch Doobadoo Laser Art Fern	Dutch Doobadoo Laser Art Lanterns	Dutch Doobadoo A5 brick stencil
Maimeri Light modelling paste	White COARSE Pearl Medium for PanPastels	Raw Umber PanPastel	Burnt Sienna	Chrom Oxide Green Shade
Silver Metallic PanPastel

Steamunk Funky Fish from Chocolate Baroque

Good morning folks, have you seen this months fabby new releases from Chocolate Baroque? There's Steampunk Seaworld and Steampunk Funky Fish (you can find them here and even better they are on special offer!!). I've tried to create a rusty effect on this card, after all swimming around in salty water would make our little steampunk fishes go rusty lol.

I've used two of the stamps from Steampunk Funky Fish for this card. I began with a distress ink background (using Broken China, Tumbled Glass and Weathered Wood distress inks). I stencilled over the top with Mowed Lawn distress ink though a Crafters Workshop Cell Stencil. Next I used the same stencil and blotted with damp kitchen roll to remove some of the colour. I stamped some foliage (from Seadragon) with Mowed Lawn distress ink. I distressed the edges and matted the background on some copper mirri card.

I took some self adhesive foil tape (from the plumbing department of my local DIY store) that I'd attached to a scrap of white card and added some colour with alcohol inks. I stamped the fish and the seadragon with Versmark and embossed with WOW Copper embossing powder before cutting them out and popping them on my background with 3d foam pads.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Corrosive Challenges: anything goes

Creative Card Crew: anything goes

My Craft Creations: anything goes

My time to craft: make a scene

Sentimental Sundays: anything goes

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: anything goes

Thanks for popping by today

Claire xx

Colour Challenge 6 from Chocolate Baroque

Good morning folks, its challenge time over at Chocolate Baroque Challenge and this month we have a gorgeous colour palette to inspire you! There's a voucher to spend on Chocolate Baroque goodies for our lucky winner and the DT will be picking their Top 3 too so I do hope you'll join us. Keep checking the Challenge blog as although the challenge is monthly there is a weekly inspiration post and our lovely Lesley creates a gorgeous free digital download every month too!



I've got into the habit of trying to match the colours up to my distress inks otherwise I tend to go off at a tangent and create something totally different lol. This time I chose Peeled Paint, Shabby Shutters, Broken Chine and Picked Raspberry.

I started by blending Shabby Shutters over the bottom part of the card and Broken China over the top. I decided to forget winter and create a summer meadow scene and got out 'Wild Meadow' one of my all time favourite Chocolate Baroque sets. I began stamping the foliage stamps in Peeled Paint and Shabby Shutters and then decided I needed some bolder colours so I added some stamping in Mowed Lawn and Forest Moss, using both first and second generation stamping. I added a little colour to the flowers with some Picked Raspberry distress ink and highlighted the Queen Anne's Lace with a white posca pen.

The butterflies are from Honeysuckle Butterfly, stamped with versamark ink and embossed with white EP and then sponged with Broken China and Picked Raspberry distress inks. I cut them out and popped them up with 3d foam tape. The sentiment is from 'Birthday Words' (another old favourite) again embossed with White EP.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

A Creative romance: anything goes

Love to Create: make a scene

My time to craft: make a scene

Seize the Birthday: anything goes birthday

Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge: anything goes

Treasured Times: anything goes

That's Crafty: anything goes

Thanks for popping by, have a great day and hope to see you again soon

Claire xx

Christmas at PanPastel UK

Good morning, Well its Sunday morning again so its challenge time at PanPastel UK and its a nice easy one this time as we want to see your Christmas projects. We've got a fab prize of some gorgeous crafty goodies from Premium Craft Brands so its a great chance to enter one of those last minute Christmas makes!

I think I'm addicted to colouring with my PanPastels now, I've coloured this cute image with my PanPastels and then created the background by masking the hills and dusting on a little PanPastel. I added the sky and then stamped the trees in versamark before applying White Pearl PanPastel Medium for some shimmer. To finish off i've added some snow with a white Graph'It Shake Pen.

Here's another pic of the image

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

A Crafty Mess: anything goes/ traditional Christmas colours

Chocolate Coffee and Cards: Christmas

Crafty Cardmakers: Christmas

Get Creative: Christmas

Holly Jolly Christmas: anything goes

That's Crafty: anything goes

Wags'n'Whiskers: Merry Christmas

Thanks so much for popping by

Claire xx

Permanent red tint	Permanent Red	Permanent Red Extra Dark	Burnt Sienna	Burnt Sienna Tint
Black Pan Pastel	Phthalo Blue extra dark	Phthalo Blue Shade	GraphIt Shaker Pen (white)	Pan Pastel, White (fine) Pearlescent
Pan Pastel Colourless Blender

Turn up the Heat at Fashionable Stamping Challenges

Hi there, well we're turning up the heat at Fashionable Stamping Challenges for our new challenge so we want to see you use your heat guns. Its quite an apt theme as I've certainly had to turn the heat up this weekend as its been really cold and frosty although I'm not complaining too much as we've had the most gorgeous blue sky too. As always our lucky challenge winner will receive a fab voucher from Flonzcraft, don't forget though you do need to use a stamp to enter as no digis are allowed!

For my DT card I've used one of my favourite Christmas stamps from Chocolate Baroque, stamped with versamark and embossed with white EP on a distress ink background (Broken China, Tumbled Glass and Weathered Wood). I added a bit more distress ink to add some depth to the little scene and layered my topper up on a shaped card blank.

I made the card blank by using a bracket die to cut the side and then running the edge through an embossing folder before inking with a little distress ink.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Allsorts: white Christmas

A Creative Romance: Anything goes

Crafty Catz: last minute Christmas

Creative moments: anything goes/winter

Jingle Belles: anything goes

Papertake Weekly: paper play (die cut and embossed card edges)

Stempelsonnen: Anything goes

That's Crafty: Anything goes

If you've got a minute grab a cuppa and check out the gorgeous artwork my talented DT Sisters have created to inspire you. Thanks so much for visiting today

Claire xx

Last minute Christmas Decor at We do Doobadoo

Good morning my lovelies, eeeeek Christmas is coming a bit too quickly for my liking, We've been so busy at work I've barely thought about Christmas shopping yet but I think I'll have to go on a mission this weekend and make a start as it won't be long and the big day will be here. At We Do Doobadoo we've got a new challenge and this time around our theme is 'Last minute Christmas Decor' and I've made a little canvas for my DT project. As always our lucky winner will receive some gorgeous Dutch Doobodoo so you don't want to miss out on your chance to win!

 I've used my favourite Dutch Doobadoo 'Stars' Stencil to create the background for my canvas. I primed with black gesso and dusted on some Black PanPastel Fine Pearl Medium. Once that was dry I applied a mixture of Maimeri Iridescent Medium and Rich Gold PanPastel through the stars stencil and sprinkled on some sparkly gold glitter for some extra bling. The focal image is a stampbord coaster coloured with Black distress ink, the image is a clear stamp from Chocolate Baroque. I stamped with versamark and then embossed with a WOW Gold sparkle EP.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Crafting for all seasons: anything Christmas but a card

Crafty Ribbons: Mono Christmas

Loves Rubber Stamps: winter/Christmas

Love to Create: Non traditional Christmas colours

Shopping our Stash: favourite technique (stencilling this week lol)

Sweet Stamps: sparkle

Thanks for visiting today, hope to see you again soon

Claire xx

Black fine Pearl

Maimeri Iridescent Paste/Gesso 200ML

Rich Gold - Metallic Pan Pastel

A5 Stars Stencil

Festive Wishes from Secret Santa

Good morning folks, its one card two DTs this morning as we're celebrating Christmas over at Polkadoodles and Graph'It Colouring Challenge!!!  We've got a very exiting challenge with a twist over at Polkadoodles as its 'Secret Santa' time so do pop over and find out all the details as there are some fabulous goodies to be won. At Graph'It Colouring Challenge our theme is 'Festive Wishes' and of course our lucky winner will get their mits on some gorgeous Graph'It goodies too!

How exciting, we all love a surprise don't we?? For my card I've used Festive Hollybobs from Polkadoodles for my card starting with the gorgeous red polkadot backing paper and adding lots of precoloured images (liberally glittered for some Christmas sparkle lol) The main image is one of the digis from the collection, coloured with my Graph'It markers. For a full list of colours used pop over to the Graph'It Colouring challenge

So who am I sending my card to?? The plot thickens lol!!

My Secret Santa clues are:

1. has been crafting for 4 years

2. Enjoys cycling

3. Has 3 children (a girl and two boys)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Christmas at Sweet Stampin: winter sports

Crafty Sentiments: Christmas

Fab'n'Funky: Christmas

Oh LaLa: Christmas

Through the Purple Haze: use a sentiment

Thanks so much for popping by

Claire xx

Steampunk Jellyfish from Chocolate Baroque

Good morning folks, Monday already so its back to work for me but before I go here's a bookmark made using the fabulous jellyfish stamp from Steampunk Funky Fish from Chocolate Baroque. When I first saw this stamp, the tentacles reminded me of a tassel so I put my thinking cap on and came up with the idea of a book mark.

The background was from my pile of inky papers, made with distress inks in Broken China, Chipped Sapphire, Mowed Lawn and sprized with mica spray. I covered the wet inky background with cling film and left to dry, unfortunately you can't see the mica in the photos.

I stamped the Jellyfish with Memento Tuxedo Blank ink and added some stencilling with sequin waste and Chipped Sapphire distress ink. 

To add a bit more interest I had a rummage in my craft room and found some Fantasy Film so I dusted of my iron and created the 'umbrellas' of both Jellyfish and attached them with some glue.

To finish off I inked around the edge with more Chipped Sapphire and of course I had to add a tassel.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

4 Crafty Chicks: animals

A Little Bit Crafty: Anything goes but not Christmas

Allsorts: animal magic

House that stamps built: anything but a card

Stempelgarten: animals

Well its time to venture out into the cold and get the bus to work. Its all good fun lol

have a good day and thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Winter Scene at Craft a Scene

Good afternoon, you can't beat snuggling up on the sofa with the pooches on these cold winter afternoons can you? Its been freezing cold here over the weekend although we haven't got any of the white stuff yet, in fact everything looks a bit drab and damp. Perfect weather for staying in by the fire, especially now as I've put the Christmas decorations up this weekend and everything looks soooooo pretty. Its challenge time at Craft a Scene and this month our theme is 'Winter Scene', sadly this will be our last challenge so I hope you're going to play along and give us a good send off.

For my DT card I've used a shaped card blank from Craftwork Cards, masked the mood and tore a paper mask before inking in the sky and hills with distress inks in Tumbled Glass and Broken China.

The stamps are all from Sheena Douglass, stamped with Grey Flannel Memento Ink, I've struggled to catch the colour on these pics as its more subtle in real life. to finish off I've simply added lots of glitter and a Christmas Sentiment from Chocolate Baroque.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Allsorts: animal Magic

Artistic Stamper: anything goes

Brown Sugar: Winter

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Extra: anything Christmas

Christmas Cards all year round: anything but square or rectangle

Crafts 4 Eternity: winter

Creative moments: winter

Fussy and Fancy: happy holidays

Inky Impressions: Snow

Little Claire's:  Shaped Cards

I'm still so disorganised and totally not ready for Christmas eeek! I haven't had time to write a card yet (good job I've been making them all year lol) so hopefully things will be nice and quiet at work this week and i'll be able to catch up a bit.
Thanks for visiting today, hope to see you again soon
Claire xx