Spring Colours at PanPastel UK

Good morning folks and a big warm welcome to my new followers. Its lovely to 'meet' you.
My card today is for our new challenge over at PanPastel UK where our theme is 'Spring Colours'.
As always those lovely folk at Premium Craft Brands will be sending some gorgeous crafty goodies to our lucky winner and there are Top 3 honours up for grabs too so I hope you're going to join in the fun.

My card was a very quick and easy one, I used some masks and a mixture of PanPastels and Pearl PanPastels to create my background and then stamped the scene using some freebie stamps from Quick Cards Made Easy magazine. I used distress markers directly onto the stamps and misted them with water before stamping. I stamped the butterflies with Memento Tuxedo Black and added colour with my distress markers

I added some sparkle to the Queen Anne's lace with a quickie glue pen and a dusting if Coarse White Pearl PanPastel medium.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Allsorts: Feature a creature

Aud Sentiments: anything goes with a sentiment

Crazy for Challenges: lets think Spring

Creative Corner: spring has sprung

Creative knockouts: spring is in the air

Moving along with the times: in the wild

Simply Papercraft: anything goes

Suzy Bees Blooming Challenge: anything goes/add a sentiment

thanks so much for visiting today, hope to see you again soon

Claire xx

Green Pearl	Pearlescent Blue	Yellow Pearl	Orange Pearl	Turquoise Tint
White COARSE Pearl Medium for PanPastels

Die cuts at Polkadoodles

Good morning my lovelies, wooo hoo the weekend is nearly here again and that means its challenge time at Polkadoodles and this time our theme is 'die cuts' so its a nice easy one for you. As always there is a fab prize up for grabs and top 3 honours too so I hope you're going to join the fun. My lovely teamies have created some stunning projects to inspire you too!

I've used lots of gorgeous printable elements from the Octavia Moonfly collection (you can find it here on cd and here as a download). .Don't you find cutting out so relaxing? I love to put my feet up and snip away while I catch up on some TV. Here's another view of the card

I've just added pearls, lace, ribbon and of course some die cuts which I cut out using glitter card for some sparkle.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Card and Scrap: use layers

CD Sunday: use a sentiment

Come and Get It: things with wings

Digi Choosday: lots of layers

Get Creative: die cut

Glitter and Sparkle: anything goes

My Craft Creations: anything goes

Simon Says Stamp: anything goes

Whoopsi Daisy: add a sentiment

Thanks so much for visiting today

Claire xx

Natural Eggs from Chocolate Baroque

Good morning, I've got a  a selection of cards for Spring and Easter using some of this months new releases from Chocolate Baroque to share this morning.

For this first card, i've stamped the solid stamp from Natural Eggs using distress inks (Scattered Straw, Broken China and Bundled Sage) and then used the detail stamps with versamark and ivory embossing powder to create my background.

The bird is from Spring Bird Tulip and i've used my current favourite technique of colouring directly on to the stamp with distress markers, spritzing with water and stamping on to water colour card.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Bunny Zoe's Crafts: Spring colours

Card and Scrap: use layers

Dragonfly Dreams: add some embellies

Loves Rubber Stamps: create your own background

Papertake Weekly: a cut above

TimbroScrapMania: ribbon and pearls

My second sample using 'Natural Eggs' was a bit of an experiment. I began by stamping the sold eggs with distress inks (Scattered Straw, Bundled Sage) and then stamping the detail over the top. 

Next I used the solid stamp again and added a layer of versamark ink over each egg before applying 3 layers of clear embossing powder. Once this was cool I used it as a resist to create some shadow behind and underneath the eggs using distress inks and a blending tool. The sentiment is from Baroque Eggs, die cut with a tag die. I've added distress ink around the edges and created some faux stitching with a distress marker.

I'm entering this one in the following challenges:

Artistic Inspirations: anything goes with a twist of Easter

Crafts Galore Encore: anything goes with a stamp or digi

Dream Valley: Easter

Hiding in my Craft room: embossing

Perfectly Rustics: eggs

Thanks for visiting today

Claire xx

Chocolate Baroque Colour Challenge

Good morning folks, today's card is my inspiration project for our colour challenge over at Chocolate Baroque Challenge Blog. As always we have a beautiful colour palette to inspire us and of course there is a fabulous prize up for grabs too so I hope you're going to join in the fun. There is lots of inspiration from the DT with some fabulous freebies too!! 

I've created a distress ink backrgound using Bundled Sage, Evergreen Bough, Stormy Skies and a little Dusty Concord distress inks. I distressed the edges with a craft knife and popped it on a deckle edged card blank.

The focal image is from the A5 stamp set called Fantasy Meadow. I used my distress markers to colour directly on to the stamp, spritzed with water and stamped on to water colour card. I've added a seam binding bow, a paper flower and some little pearls to finish off

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Card Mania: spring

Crafting Musketeers: pearls and ribbon

Crafty Cardmakers: spring

Creatalicious: anything goes

Incy Wincy: Vintage

Natalie and Amy's: flowers

Penny Black and More: blossoms and bows

Stamp and Create: is it Spring yet?

Thanks so much for visiting today

Claire xx

Alter it inspiration at PanPastel UK

Good morning, how's your weekend going? After a really hectic few weeks I'm hoping to have a lazy day today so fingers crossed I'll be able to catch up on some crafting and blog visiting too. This mornings project is my inspiration piece for our 'Alter It' challenge at PanPastel UK, you've still got a week to enter to be in with a chance of winning a beautiful mask and a PanPastel thanks to our generous sponsors at Premium Craft Brands! My talented teamies have loads of inspiration too so pop over and have a peek if you've got a minute.

I've altered a little book box that had previously been decorated with dark metallic shades. I began with a coat of white gesso and once that was dry I added Pearlescent Blue PanPastel and some White Fine Pearl Medium, you get a really gorgeous shimmer in real life but its very hard to show in a photo. I used stampbord for the focal image, stamping the butterfly from the Premium Craft Brands 'Postcard' stamp setwith black ink and addiing colour with more Blue Pearl PanPastel, I stamped some swirls around the edges and added the sentiment before triple embossing with clear UTEE. To finish off I added some little gems.

I'm entering this in the following challenges:

Brown Sugar: anything goes

Crafting for all seasons: pastel hues

Crafting from the heart: anything goes

Crafts 4 Eternity: pastel colours

Crafty Catz: no designer paper

Deep Ocean: vintage

Inky Impressions: pastel colours

Thanks so much for visiting, have a great day 

Claire xx

Pearlescent Blue

White Fine Pearl Medium for Pan Pastels

Stampbord Assorted sizes

Premium Art Brands, Postcard stamp set

Favourite/Go to stamp at Fashionable Stamping challenges

Hello my lovelies, its challenge time at Fashionable Stamping Challenges and for the next two weeks our theme is 'Use your favourite/go to stamp'. As always our lucky winner will receive a $20 voucher from Flonzcraft so I hope you're going to join in the fun. Don't forget though we're a stamping challenge so make sure you use a rubber or clear stamp as the focus of your entry.

 I had a bit of a struggle with this one as I'm very fickle with stamps and my newest ones are usually my favourite so I decided to use on of my favourite stamps from our lovely sponsor Flonzcraft. The focal image is from one of my all time favourite sets, its called 'Little Lady' and you can find it here, as well as the two little chicks there are some supercute little ladies too! 

I decided to make a little gift box and used some freebie papers to cover a recycled box, distressing the edges with Vintage Photo Distress ink and adding some lace and pearl trim.

I stamped the image on some watercolour card using memento Rich cocoa ink and coloured with distress markers, adding a paper flower and some little feathers.

To finish off I pierced some holes and added some faux stitching to the edges of the image.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Alphabet Challenge: c is for cute and cuddly

Decorate to Celebrate: anything goes

Fab'n'Funky: spring into colour

Fairy Tale: Flower Power

Simply Create Too: Easter or bunnies

Stempelsonnen: anything goes

That's Crafty: wings'n'things

Throwback Thursdays: Easter

Thanks so much for visiting today, hope to see you again soon

Claire xx

Tulips from Chocolate Baroque

Good morning folks, today's card features some of the gorgeous new stamps from Chocolate Baroque called  Spring Bird Tulip one of three beautiful DL stamp sheets full of delicate flowers and some adorable birds too.

I've used the tulips on this card, inking up the stamp with Peeled Paint and Worn Lipstick distress ink and stamping directly on to the card blank. I added some little flourishes and also distressed using the same colours of ink.

I used distress markers directly onto the stamp and misted with water to create the focal image which I die cut with a spellbinders die and again added some distress ink. To finish off I added some lace, ribbon, pearls and a seambinding bow topped with a little button and some twine.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Allsorts: flowers and pearls

Artistic Stamper: spring is coming

Card mania: spring

Come and get it: make your own background

Dragonfly Dreams: add some embellishments

Lisa B Designs: spring watercolour

Natalie and Amy's: flowers

Penny's Paper Crafty: ribbons and bows

The Ribbon Girls: going green

Thanks for popping by today

Claire xx

Alter it at PanPastel UK

Good morning my lovelies, I hope you're having a good weekend so far. We have a new challenge at PanPastel UK starting today and this time around our theme is 'Alter it' . Our lucky winner will receive a gorgeous mask and a PanPastel too so I hope you're going to play along.

For my DT project I've altered the cover of a 'Next' directory to make an art journal cover. I must have been psychic when I decided to make this last weekend as when I got home from work on Monday Barney (my mischievous lab) had chewed the cover off my dylusions art journal. Interestingly he'd ripped out the pages that I'd been working on and left the blank pages intact, I guess he doesn't think much of my art journalling lol.

Anyway after a coat of Maimeri White Gesso I added scraps of paper, die cuts, lace trim and Ranger Tissue Wrap with Maimeri Matte Gel medium. Once that was dry I applied another coat of gesso and then got to work with Maimeri Light Modelling Paste and lots of Dutch Doobadoo stencils (you can find links to the products I've used at the end of this post) I added some colour with Pearlescent PanPastels in Green and Blue and for a little extra sparkle I applied some White Coarse Pearl PanPastel (love love love this stuff its so shimmery and sparkly but very difficult to capture the effect in a photo)

I've used stamps from Indigo Blu, stamped on tissue paper with memento inks. I also added some ribbon, lace, bead trim, pearls, a metal filigree corner to finish off.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Altered Eclectics: anything goes altered art

Creative Moments: anything goes/ Spring green

Country View Crafts: anything goes

Fussy and Fancy: ribbon and lace

Frilly and Funkie: Bring on the bling

Indigo Blu: Spring greens

Simon Says Stamp: things that fly

STAMPlorations : March Stamps and stencils

Thanks so much for visiting today

Claire xx

Dutch Doobadoo Dutch Mask A5 Burlap	Stars Stencil Dutch Doobadoo	Flower swirl mask	Dutch Doobadoo laser art, butterflies	Octavia Moonfly - THE BIG KAHUNA Kit Digital Craft Download
Maimeri Light modelling paste	Iridescent Paste	Graph′It Markers

Spring Flowers at We Do Doobadoo

Good morning folks, we're going to be having a little break at We Do Doobadoo so we don't have a new challenge as the DT are all very busy with lots of exciting projects. I've made a canvas using the gorgeous Octavia from Polkadoodles and lots of gorgeous Dutch Doobadoo goodies (you can find links to all the products at the end of this post). 

My canvas is very camera shy lol, the background was made with mica sprays in lilac, blue and turquoise but for some reason it looks a weird muddy colour in the pic so you'll have to use your imagination lol.

The image is coloured with Graph'it markers and Derwent pencils, cut out and adhered to the canvas is Maimeri Matte Medium. The background was stencilled with stars at the top and flowers at the bottom using Maimeri Iridescent paste and light modelling paste. While this was wet I sprinkled glitter on the stars. the flowers were coloured with Graph'It markers once the iridescent paste was dry. To finish off I added lots of delicate laser cut Butterflies from Dutch Dooabdoo.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges

Crafts Galore Encore: anything goes with a stamp or digi

Fairy Tale: flower power

Hannah and friends: anything goes

Simon Says Stamp: things that fly

Sister Act: anything goes

That's Crafty: Wings'n'things

Thanks so much for visiting today

Claire xx

Dutch Doobadoo Dutch Mask A5 Burlap	Stars Stencil Dutch Doobadoo	Flower swirl mask	Dutch Doobadoo laser art, butterflies	Octavia Moonfly - THE BIG KAHUNA Kit Digital Craft Download
Maimeri Light modelling paste	Iridescent Paste	Graph′It Markers

Spring colours at Graph'It sponsored by Aurora Wings!!

Good morning folks, we've got a new challenge starting over at Graph'It Colouring Challenge and this time around our theme is 'Spring Colours' and we've got a fabulous sponsor, Aurora Wings!!

Mitzi creates some gorgeous images so I hope you're going to play along for a chance to win!! The DT girlies were lucky enough to be able to colour up some of the beautiful digi stamps and I chose this adorable mermaid, she's called Sea Turtle Kiss

I've coloured the image using my Graph'It markers, you can find a full list of colours used over o the challenge blog. 

I distressed the image with Peeled paint and tumbled glass distress ink ad matted it onto a card blank I'd made using spellbinders dies. To finish off I added two different ribbons, a bow topped with a sea shell button and a few little paper flowers.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Aurora Wings: my lucky colour (green for me)

Crafting for all seasons: girly girls

Crafts Galore encore: anything goes with a stamp or digi

Crafty Gals Corner: Cute as a button

Double Click Skittles: use the colour green

Fab'n'Funky: focus on the image

Paper Shelter: girly

Penny's paper crafty: ribbons and bows

Thanks so much for popping by today

Claire xx

Daffodils from Chocolate Baroque

Good morning, Claire here with a sunny card made using stamps from Spring Bird Daffodil, one of this month's beautiful new releases. As soon as I saw these stamps I couldn't wait to colour this image as I love daffodils, they are always such a welcome sight after a long winter.

I stamped the images on smooth white card and coloured them with Graph'It markers before die cutting them. I stamped the sentiment using Bamboo Leaves Memento ink and then inked around the edges with Squeezed Lemondade distress ink.

I made the easel card using craft card, popping my die so that it overlapped the fold and running it through my die cutting machine in an embossing sandwich. This creates an embossed effect slightly larger than the die cut shape so you can cut it out and layer up your image.

To prop the easel up I decoupaged the daffodils and added a little green bow topped with a pearl.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Artistic Inspirations: anything goes with a twist of green

Card Mania: spring

Crafty Cardmakers: for a special woman

Papertake Weekly: mum's the word

Penny Black and More: blossoms and bows

Sentimental Sundays: anything goes 

Sweet Stamps: anything goes

The Pink Elephant: Shaped cards

Thanks for visiting today

Claire xx

Romance at Graph'It colouring Challenge

Good morning folks, a very quick post from me today as life is a wee bit too hectic at the minute. We've got a new challenge over at Graph'It Colouring Challenge and the theme is 'Romance /Shabby Chic'. You don't have to use Graph'It markers to enter, whatever you like to colour with feel free to play along to be in with a chance of winning some gorgeous Graph'It goodies!

I've gone for a shabby chic look to my card but used a lovely romantic image from Aurora Wings. The bp is an old favourite from Bearly Mine, I've added lots of distressing, pretty lace, ribbon, pearls and of course lots of distressing and a wee bit of Antique Linen Distress ink.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Crafting by Designs: anything goes

Crafting for all seasons: girly girls

Crafts Galore Encore: anything goes with a stamp or digi

Hanna and Friends: anything goes

In the pink: for a special lady, in pink

Simon Says Stamp: special lady/girl

Sweet Stamps: girly

Thanks for popping by today
Claire xx

Chocolate Baroque Colour Challenge

Good morning my lovelies, I hope you're having a good week so far. We're half way to the weekend, thank goodness!! Its inspiration time over at Chocolate Baroque Challenge blog, this time around we're working with this beautiful colour palette: 

Here's my card, a really quick and easy card using the gorgeous Klimt panel stamp from Chocolate Baroque and PanPastels, You can find all the details over on the challenge blog

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Crafting from the Heart: anything goes

Creative Craft Cottage: add a sentiment

Loves Rubber Stamps: anything goes

Papertake Weekly: anything goes

Whoopsi Daisy: anything goes

Thanks for popping by today

Claire xx