My lovely blogland friends

Wednesday, 30 September 2015

Quick and easy Christmas from Chocolate Baroque

Good morning folks, how's your week going? Wednesday already so its downhill until the weekend. I'm rushing off to work but I just wanted to share this card and remind you about the fabulous colour challenge over at Chocolate Baroque Challenge, pop over and check out the colour palette and all the inspiration from my teamies. There are also some lovely freebie downloads available regularly too.



This card was made using a scrap of kraft card, folded in half and stencilled with a Dutch Doobadoo brick stencil, texture paste and distress inks. I'd already made the topper using a stamp from Christmas Candlelight. I'd actually made it to put in a little Christmas decoration (I can't remember what they are called doh!! -the shaker ones full of water and glitter) but mine seem to have sprung a leak so had to go in the bin. The image was coloured with Sakura Stardust pens, I love these pens but hardly every use them these days. The sentiment is also from Chocolate Baroque, cut out and layered up with foam pads.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Christmas Card Challenges: anything goes
Crafting with dragonflies: anything goes
Craft your passion: anything goes
Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas: stick it down
Ooh La La: kraft
Papertake Weekly: Christmas

Thanks so much for visiting today
Claire xx

Tuesday, 29 September 2015

Playing with Graph'Its

Good morning folks, how's your week going so far? It feels like it should be Friday to me but its only Tuesday! To brighten up our day there's an amazing discount code for digistamps over at Digi Choosday so hop on over and get the code so you can treat yourself to some of the gorgeous digis over at Polkadoodles!!  I've been having loads of fun with my Graph'It Markers recently. Nikky Hall has been encouraging us DT girlies to experiment with lots of different background techniques and today's project is one of the successes from my mad scientist sessions playing with my markers lol.

I'd coloured up the image (Oddella Fairy from the fab IckyInk art girls at Polkadoodles) with my GIs and was trying to decide how to create a background for her when it occurred to me that alcohol markers are actually filled with alcohol ink dohhhhhh! I don't know why I'd never realised that you can use them for lots of techniques that you can use with alcohol inks in the little dropper bottles. Anyway I set to and had a play with my markers, scribbling them onto my glass cutting mat and lightly misting with Mix'It Fluid before swooshing some glossy cardstock through the inky mess. It create a fab background,one tip I found was to use darker colours that you want for your background - I used some of the dark greens and oranges for this but it came out a lot lighter.


Next I stamped some foliage along the bottom with a rubber stamp and Memento Bamboo Leaves. I took a leaf stencil and applied Maimeri Glassy Gel Medium and left it to dry. Glassy gel is one of my favourite mediums, it gives a clear raised image from the stencil. I coloured the leaves with my Graph'Its and then misted with a little Mix'It Fluid to soften and blend the colours.


I used some matte gel medium to adhere my background to an MDF shape, trimmed to size and edged with gold gilding wax. I cut Oddella out and attached her with some more matte medium, and gave her some extra sparkle with a Graph'It Gold GlitterShake pen.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:
4 Crafty Chicks: Sparkle and shine
Classy Cards'n'stuff: feeling fallish
Crafting Musketeers: Autumn colours
Get Creative: Fantasy
Our Creative Corner: shades of Autumn
Simon Says Stamp: No designer papers
Use your Stuff: markers/inks
Mixed Media World Challenge: anything goes with Autumn colours

Thanks so much for visiting today
Claire xx

Sunday, 27 September 2015

Anything Mixed Media/Creative Goes at We Love 2 Create

Good morning folks, its time for a new challenge over at We Love 2 Create and as always we've got an easy peasy theme of 'Anything Creative/Mixed Media Goes' with a fabby prize up for grabs from our lovely sponsors Premium Craft Brands. I've altered a frame from the pound shop for my DT project.


I painted the frame with white gesso and then gave it a coat of pale pink emulsion paint. Once that was dry I added some shimmer with Red Pearlescent PanPastel and applied some Versmark and Gold PanPastel here and there. Next I lightly sponged some Flitterglu on to the detail of the frame and gilded with Autumn Blaze gilding flakes.


I've stamped the image (Peony Posey from Indigo Blu) on to some dictionary paper with Black Archival ink and lightly applied Black Fine Pearl PanPastel Medium over the top. I stamped the image several times onto white card that I'd coloured with Red Pearlescent PanPastel, cut out and added some shading with Permanent Red shade PanPastel and then decoupaged to give some depth. I used a pencil eraser to remove the colour from the smaller flowers and dusted them with a little white pearl medium before gilding the centres.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:
Altered Eclectics: anything goes
CMD Challenge: flower power
Crafty Time: Anything but a card
Recycle, Repurpose: Reinvent: anything goes
Simply Papercraft: anything goes

Thanks so much for visiting today
Claire xx


Friday, 25 September 2015

Background techniques at Graph'It Colouriing Challenge

Good morning folks, today's card is my make for our challenge over at Graph'It Colouring Challenge where our theme is . As always we've got some fab prizes up for grabs with one lucky winner getting some gorgeous digis from Polkadoodles and another getting some gorgeous Graph'It markers from Cult Pens. Cult pens have some amazing offers on Graph'Its too so pop over and have a look!


I've coloured my image with Graph'It Markers, there's a full list of colours over on the challenge blog. I created the background by colouring the sky with blues and blue greys and then splashed on Mix'it fluid to create a moody night sky. I've added some snow with a white Graph'It Shake pen.


I've kept the card layout fairly simple as I wanted the image to take centre stage, adding a sentiment from Frosted Winter and a red gingham bow. I used a punch to create a border along the bottom of the card. 

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Addicted to Stamps and More: Addicted to holidays
A Snowflake promise: winter/Christmas theme
Aud Sentiments: Christmas plus a sentiment
Fab'n'Funky: cute criters and/or Christmas
Moving along with the times: Hats and scarves
Papertake Weekly: Christmas
Simon Says Stamp: no designer papers

Thanks so much for popping by today, hope to see you again soon
Claire xx

Sunday, 20 September 2015

Anything Mixed Media/Creative Goes at We Love 2 Create

Good morning my lovelies, its inspiration time over at We Love 2 Create and you've still got a whole week to be in with a chance of winning some gorgeous goodies from Premium Craft Brands. Its a nice easy theme, 'Anything Creative/Mixed Media Goes' and as always my teamies have created some beautiful artwork to inspire you. I've altered an mdf birdhouse for my DT offering. I just love the blues in the PanPastel range, they are soooooo pretty!


I've used white gesso to prime the mdf and then got busy with lots of Ultramarine Blue Tint PanPastel and a little ultramarine blue and some White Coarse PanPastel medium which is lovely and shimmery in real life. I've used a background stamp from Chocolate Baroque, stamped with versamark and dusted with Ultramarine Blue PanPastel.  I've also added some stencilling for a little texture, using a flower stencil and texture paste coloured with more Ultramarine Blue PanPastel.


To decorate the birdhouse, I've stamped the butterfly, from the Premium Art Brands 'Postcard' stamp set and some Dreamees flowers with versamark and dusted with my PanPastels. I cut everything out and arranged it on the birdhouse, adding some glitter glue to the centre of the flowers. I've added some Pewter PanPastels around all the edges and decorated the roof with some lace, ribbon and a metal filigree butterfly.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:
Altered Eclectics: anything goes
Brown Sugar: anything but a card
Crafty Time: anything but a card
Petal Lu: anything goes
Wags'n'Whiskers: glitter/sparkle

Thanks so much for popping by today, hope to see you again soon
Claire xx


Friday, 18 September 2015

A new challenge at Graph'it Colouring Challenge

Good morning my second post of the day, as its time for a new challenge at Graph'It Colouring Challenge.  Its a very exciting day for us as our lovely Nikky Hall is on Create and Craft at 10am with not only Graph'It markers but also some fabulous new pencils too so make sure you book your place on the sofa!! Our challenge this time is to create a pattern with your markers, there are loads of things you can do ,,, from polka dots/stripes or tartan on clothes to loads of amazing background techniques so its well worth checking out what my talented teamies have been up to. Just to add a bit of a twist for the DT, Nikky challenged us to create a card based on a choice of colour palettes too. We've got some amazing prizes up for grabs as we're sponsored by the very talented Nikki Burnette who designs some stunning digis and also Cult Pens who deliver world wide and have some brilliant offers on Graph'It Markers (buy 3 get 1 free plus free DVD with sets)!!


I've used one of the gorgeous images from Nikki Burnette for my card and of course, coloured her with my Graph'It markers. I created the sky by blending shades of purple using my Mix'It Palette and blender pen. I also used my Mix'it palette and blender to create the candlelight effect. I created the brick pattern by simply colouring the wall with warm greys and then used the chisel nib of the blender to create the lighter bricks, easy!

My dreadful photography skills have bleached the colours unfortunately, the purples are so rich in the Graph'It Range but they look a bit washed out on the pic. I've also used the Graph'It Silver Shake pen to give the moon a little sparkle.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Artistic Inspirations: anything goes with a twist of magic
Crafts Galore Encore: anything goes
Incy Wincy: No rubber stamps
Little Miss Muffet: anything goes
Papertake Weekly: animal magic
Sisters of Craft: anything goes

Well I'd better go to work and earn some pennies. I'm sooooo pleased its nearly the weekend as we're short staffed at work so I've been chasing my tail all week.
Have a lovely day and thanks for popping by, hope to see you again soon
Claire xx

Halloween Domino Book from Chocolate Baroque

Good morning folks, my project today is a little domino book made using Stampbord and this month's gorgeous new stamps from Chocolate Baroque. I've used stamps from Hocus Pocus and Put a Spell on You, you can find both sets here and even better they are on special offer too!


I began by taking two Stampbord dominos (you can find them here) and applied Distress Inks in Seedless Preserves, Spiced Marmalade, Peeled Pain randomly with cut and dry foam. I stamped the images and added colour with Derwent Colorsoft pencils before triple embossing with clear embossing powder. I used a gold krylon pen to edge the stampbord.

Next I cut a strip of white card from a 12x12 sheet and used my Stampbord to mark the size so that it was just a couple of millimetres smaller than the domino. I coloured the card with the same colours of distress ink and got busy stamping lots of different images from the new stamp sheets and again coloured with my pencils, adding a few white highlights here and there.
Tip: use a little diluted bleach to remove colour from areas you want to be white and if you need to go over the area with a white pen.

 I scored the card strip at 1" intervals and concertina folded it all before attaching the covers. Don't forget to add the ribbon to fasten the little book before you attach the covers to the strip.


Here's another pic of the cover


I'm entering this project in the following challenges:
Altered Eclectics: anything goes
Artistic Stamper: Things with wings
Crafty Time: anything but a card
Creative Moments: anything goes/use a sentiment
One Crazy Stamper: Christmas/Halloween/Fall
Paper Shelter:Many folds
Whimsy Inspiration: anything goes/halloween

Thanks so much for visiting today
Claire xx

Thursday, 17 September 2015

GDT At Stamps and Stencils

Good morning my lovlies I've got some very exciting news today ... I'm sharing a project made for a Guest Designer spot over at Stamps and Stencils!! I was really honoured to be asked to create a project for the challenge which is 'Up up and away' with a twist of Autumn colours. I adore stamps and stencils so how could I resist an invitation to join such a lovely talented team as a Guest Designer??


I've made an 8x8 canvas using paint, Graph'It markers, PanPastels and some of my favourite stamps from Chocoalte Baroque to create this project. I won't go into details on how I made it as if you pop over to Stamps and Stencils I've done a step by step with pics too so I'd be chuffed to bits if you'd pop over and have a peep!!

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Crafty Catz: Autumn colours
Craft your passion: anything goes
Creative Corner: anything but a card
Dream Valley: autumn colours
Simply Papercraft: anything goes
The Pencil Case: B is for Bright

Thanks so much for popping by today
Claire xx

Wednesday, 16 September 2015

Chocolate Baroque Challenge 15

Good morning folks, its time for a new challenge at Chocolate Baroque Challenge and this month we've got a gorgeous colour palette for inspiration. I've had fun with Brushos for my DT project and as always my teamies have created some gorgeous projects. Our random winner (chosen from entries using CB stamps) will receive a £15 voucher to spend on goodies from Chocolate Baroque and there are Top 3 honours up for grabs too.



To make this card I stamped the large flower from Sunny Sunflowers onto watercolour card and masked the image off.

I've used Black, Grey and Lemon brusho powders sprinkled onto watercolour card and then misted with water to create my background. I love all the different tones that you get with Brushos, some of the greys have a greenish hue, soooo pretty!



When I removed the mask some of the paint had leaked through but I kind of liked the shadow effect so I didn't worry too much about it.

Next I stamped the bees which are from Rose Tree with black archival ink. I used a little diluted bleach to remove the brusho colour from the bees an then added some colour with distress markers.  I also used my distress markers to colour the sunflower.


I added some glamour dust to the wings using a quickie glue pen.

The sentiment was stamped with versamark and embossed with silver embossing powder (the sentiment is from Words of comfort and Cheer).
To finish off I've added some white dots with a Graph'It shake pen and doodled around the edges.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Aud Sentiments: anything goes plus a sentiment
Corrosive Challenges: Mixed Media
Papertake Weekly: animal magic
Penny Black and more: anything goes
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Favourite technique 
(its like trying to pick a favourite child lol but at the minute Brushos are my favourite)

thanks so much for visiting today
Claire xx


Sunday, 13 September 2015

Anything Mixed Media/Creative goes at We love 2 create

Good morning folks, its time for a new challenge at We love 2 create and as usual our theme is 'Anything creative/Mixed media goes'. You don't have to use our products to enter and you've got 2 weeks to join in the fun to be in with a chance of winning some lovely crafty goodies from Premium Craft Brands!


I'm definitely going through a pink phase, I think it's because i'm decorating my bedroom (well actually I'm thinking about it and buying lots of stuff but I will get started soon honest lol) and I'm planning a pink and girly room. I decided to make a clock for my DT project and began by priming the mdf clock blank with white gesso and once that was dry I applied Permanent Red Tint PanPastel with a large oval Sofft Tool, adding some depth with a little more Perm red here and there.

I sealed with some hairspray and then stamped a music stamp with versamark and applied some Paynes Grey PanPastel. Next I cut some roses from a paper napkin and applied them with Maimeri Matte Gel medium. It dries really quickly so I didn't have to wait long to add a little stencilling. I used a harlequin stencil and Maimeri Light modelling paste. Once the paste was dry I added versamark and rich gold PanPastel. The versamark gives the gold PanPastel a lovely depth. I stamped the roman numerals (from Indigo Blu) with Flitterglu and gilded them with Lancashire Rose gilding flakes.

 I sealed the clock with more matte gel medium and added the clock mechanism and hands which i'd also gilded  to match.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:
Clear it out: anything goes
(Stash items - everything lol)
Creative Corner: anything but a card
Simply Papercraft: Anything goes
Southern Girls: Layer it up

Thanks so much for visiting today
Claire xx


Words at Fashionable Stamping Challenges

Hi there, its time for a new challenge over at Fashionable Stamping challenges and this time around our theme is all about words chosen by my lovely teamie Laura so we want to see you use words as the focal point of your project, don't forget we're a stamping challenge too so no digistamps allowed.
Our lucky winner will receive a $20 voucher to spend at Flonzcraft and the DT will be choosing their Top 3 too!


For my project I've made a little wall hanging using stamps from Indigo Blu. I've recycled some corrugated card, giving it a bit of interest by dry brushing with some white gesso and adding a little gold gilding wax too.

I've framed this fabulous stamp (from Enjoy life) with an mdf frame. Both have a background created with acrylic paint and worn lipstick distress ink. I've stamped the frame with a lovely fabric texture stamp from Sarah's Choice. The flowers and butterfly were Indigo Blu freebies from a magazine stamped with Potting Soil Archival ink and coloured with distress markers.


I've added lace, ribbon, a little bark heart and a polymer clay heart gilded with some flitter glu and gilding flakes. To finish off i've added some raffia spirals.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges;
Creative Corner: anything but a card
Fab'n'Funky: shabby chic
Indigo Blu: Frame it
In the Pink: ribbons and bows
Simon says Stamp: use a stamp
Wonderful Wednesday: anything goes

Well i hope you're having a good weekend. The weather is turning here and its a lot cooler so perfect crafting weather. If you need some inspiration, do pop over to the challenge blog and check out my teamies gorgeous projects.
Thanks so much for visiting today
Claire xx

Saturday, 12 September 2015

Shabby Chic at Polkadoodles

hello there my lovelies, I'm late again lol. Its not bloggers fault this time, we've been so busy at work I haven't had a minute so its nice to get chance to sit down and I'm planning on spending the rest of th day blogging and crafting. Anyway its challenge time over at Polkadoodles and this time around out theme is 'Shabby Chic'. If you've got time pop over to the challenge blog as my teamies have created some gorgeous artwork to inspire you and of course we have some fab prizes up for grabs too!

I've used the lovely Twiggy and Toots Festive Fun collection for my card and coloured the image with my trusty Graph'It Markers. You can find Twiggy and Toots here, its a fab collection full of gorgeous papers, embellies, and other goodies, not forgetting the fabby digital images too.


I've used a shaped card blank and layerd up some of the lovely backing papers. frames and a sentiment to set of the supercute image


Ive just added lace, ribbon, pearls and some flowers and berries from my stash to finish off. 

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Aud Sentiments: anything goes with a sentiment
CRAFT: Christmas
Crafting by Designs :getting ready for Christmas
Crafty Hazelnut''s Christmas challenge: Festive trees or greenery
Digitally Sweet: anything with wings
Simply Create Too: Early holiday wishes
Thanks so much for popping by today
Claire xx

Thursday, 10 September 2015

New collection from Polkadoodles

Good morning folks, just a quick post to share one of my samples from the amazing new collection from Polkadoodles, the collection is called 'Octavia, Frosted Winter' and it's jam packed with some of the most beautiful papers, embellies, design sheets and sentiments not to mention all the gorgeous characters (you can find it here)

This was a very quick and easy card to make, I glittered the edges of a shaped card blank with a zig glue pen and glamour dust and then set too cutting out all my elements. I took a background from one of the lovely design sheets, printed it twice and cut out the stocking corner to decoupage but layered up one of the lovely chalkboard sentiments and a frame from the same collection.


Next I added some of the pretty poinsettias and greenery that I simply cut out and glittered. I also added one of the paper ribbons and a few little gems to finish off.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Crafting by Designs: get ready for Christmas
Creative Card Crew: Christmas
Glitter'n'Sparkle: anything goes
the Glory of Christmas: no stamp or digi

thanks for visiting today
Claire xx

Wednesday, 9 September 2015

Gorgeous free download from Chocolate Baroque

Good evening, blogger is up to mischief again so I'm running a little late with this weeks post. This card should have been posted this morning and I'll catch up with yesterday's post tomorrow. Oh dear,that sounds confusing lol, welcome to my world :-) Our lovely Lesley at Chocolate Baroque has another fabulous FREE download up for grabs, you can pick it up here on the Chocolate Baroque Challenge blog. 


Its a really beautiful paper, with a stunning design it looks like its been embossed but unfortunately my dodgy photography skills don't show it off very well so pop over and have a look here.
I began by masking a moon and inking around the mask with a little black ink
In keeping with the beautiful muted tones of the design I've added stamping in grey, black and white using stamps from one of my old favourite stamp sets Wild Meadow. I've added some raffia and a black bow topped with a button.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Come and Get it :buttons and bows
Crafty Catz: anything goes
Ooh La La: autumn
Simply Papercraft: anything goes
Tuesday Throwdown: anything goes

You've still got time to enter our colour theme challenge too so check out all the fabulous inspiration from my lovely teamies! Thanks so much for popping by today
Claire xx

Monday, 7 September 2015

Tic Tac Toe at Vintage Stamping Challenges

Good morning folks, Monday already so I'm heading off to work again but before I go its time for a new challenge over at Vintage Stamping Challenges! This month we've got a Tic Tac Toe Challenge which is one of my favourites so a big thank you to my  lovely teamie Christine for such a fun theme! Don't forget our lucky winner will receive a fabby $20 voucher to spend at Flonzcraft and you don't have to make a vintage project to join in the fun. We are a stamping challenge though so no digi stamps allowed.


I've used one of my favourite Flonzcraft stamps to make this card using a line from the Tic Tac Toe board (Vintage Tones, Flowers and Lace). I stamped the image with Black Archival ink and added a little colour with some distress inks and a bit of glamour dust for a snowy sparkle.

The image was layered on kraft card and I've added some papers, flowers and ribbons from The Hobby House. I've also added some lace, a pretty button and a charm from my stash.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
A Snowflakes Promise: Christmas or winter theme
Crafts Galore Encore: anything goes
Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas: Twas the night before Christmas
Sister Act: anything goes
Winter Wonderland: Add a sentiment


, I hope you're going to join us this month. My lovely team mates have created some gorgeous projects so if you need a little inspiration just pop over to the challenge blog and have a peek!

Thanks so much for visiting today

Claire xx

Sunday, 6 September 2015

Inspiration time at We Love 2 Create

Good morning my lovelies, its inspiration time over at We Love 2 Create as you still have a week to enter our 'Anything Mixed Media/Creative Goes' to be in with a chance to win some lovely goodies from Premium Craft Brands. My teamies have created some gorgeous projects to inspire you too so do pop over and have a look!


I've used my Pearlescent PanPastels to create a misty autumn scene for my DT project this week. Its definitely been feeling a lot like Autumn in my little corner of the UK this week.

I used a torn paper mask to create my scene, using pearlescent red, purple and  yellow with a little Fine Black PanPastel Medium to create the sky and then Pearlescent green, yellow and Fine Black Medium for the hills.

The stamps used are all from Lavinia Stamps and I've used Memento Inks to stamp the images, I love the colours of the  Memento range and they stamp beautifully over PanPastels too. To finish off I've added some glitter and tiny gems to the 'fairydust' and popped some little pearls in the corners.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Artistic Stampers: things with wings
Crafty Calendar: anything goes
Crazy 4 Challenges: goodbye to summer
Lisa B Designs: Lavinia Stamps
Our Creative Corner: Shades of Autumn
Stempelsonne: anything goes

Thanks so much for popping by today
Claire xx


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