Anything Creative/Mixed Media Goes at We Love to Create

Good morning folks, its time for a new challenge over at We Love 2 Create and this time around our theme is 'Anything Creative or Mixed Media Goes', just for a change lol. We like to keep it nice and easy for you so you can be in with a chance of winning some gorgeous crafty goodies from our sponsors Premium Craft Brands!. You don't have to use our products to enter but of course we love it when you do. I've used my PanPastels with the lovely new Stamp Soup stamps from Polkadoodles to make this project. I used stamps from Lavender Tea to make these flowers

The MDF heart was given a good coat of gesso and coloured with Pearlescent PanPastels, they blend so beautifully it was easy to create a lovely shade of aqua using the green and blue pearl pans. Next I stencilled some polkadots using texture paste and brushed over some white Pearl PanPastel Medium.

I made the flowers by stamping one of the pretty petal elements to create flowers on vellum using Versamark ink and then simply blending over with my PanPastels. I used all the pearl pans on this project. I cut all the flower us and layered them up to create lots of flowers.

I added a  kraft sizzix die cut that I'd distressed with Raw Umber PanPastel and attached the flowers using silicone glue, popping little pearls in the flower . I cut a little flag shape from kraft card and stamped two of the sentiments, I stamped the word Hello is versamark and embossed with a sparkly white EP and then stamped the word beautiful with Teal Zeal Memento Ink. The little heart is one of the Stamp Soup elements, again stamped on kraft and embossed with a sparkly white EP. I added some die cut wings and gave them some polkadots using a white Graph'It Shake pen. To finish off I've added some enamel dots, a little bow topped with a wooden button and a twine bow.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Addicted to Stamps and More: Anything goes

Craft Rocket: Anything goes

Creative Corner: anything but a card

Fussy and Fancy: Pastel Colours

Moving along with the times: in the garden

Through the Purple Haze: Flowers

Wags'n'Whiskers: Wings

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

Claire xx

Pearlescent Pan Pastels

Pan Pastel, White (fine) Pearlescent

White Blending Mop Brush

Raw Umber PanPastel

Sofft sponge bars

Babushka Birthday Greetings

Good morning my lovelies, today's card features the lovely  Babushka stamps from Chocolate Baroque. I do like to add lots of ribbon and embellishments to cards but with the cost of postage I'm trying to make some 'flat' cards which are more economical to post.

I began with a background from my stash, This one was made using the 'Shaving Foam' technique and acrylic inks. I love this technique but it's rather messy so I tend make a batch of lots of backgrounds to make the mess worth while. I stamped the two Babushka images and masked them to add the background stamps. I coloured them with pencils and stamped the greeting (from Birthday Words) with Black Archival ink. I've simply matted the image on black card and added some faux stitching with a black fineliner pen.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

ArtbyMiran: anything goes

Crafting with Friends: Anything goes

Creative Fingers: anything goes

Jo's Scrap Shack: anything goes

Simply Papercraft: anything goes

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

Claire xx

Stamp Soup from Polkadoodles

Good morning folks, did you catch Nikky on C&C with the gorgeous Stamp Soup clear stamp sets and the fab new Lemonade Fizz and Lavender Tea CD collections? Wow they sold like hot cakes but if you pop over to the Polkadoodles shop you may find a few goodies left.

I've made a large tag using just the stamps. I began by creating a pva crackle background using emulsion paint tester pots. Next I stamped my design using Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and lots of post it masks, these stamps are all separate elements so you can have loads of fun creating your own flowers. You can also us them for lots of other things, the DT came up with lots of fun ideas including butterflies, dragonflies, birds, owls, hedgehog and a fairy. I got busy colouring with my Graph'It Markers. I wasn't sure how the colours would take on this kind of background but they are beautifully vibrant. I added some shadows with grey markers and some highlights with a white Graph'It Shake pen.

Next I stencilled the background using a Dutch Doobadoo Chicken Wire stencil and texture paste. I die cut the word 'bloom' using a Memory Box die and coloured the letters with Graph'it 8245 and wrote the rest of the words on scraps of paper. To finish off I've added some pretty irridescent sequins and some scraps of ribbon.

I'm entering this tag in the following challenges:

Colouring in Scrapland: Anything goes

Fussy and Fancy: things with wings

My time to craft: flowers

The Crazy Challenge: flowers

Really Reasonable Ribbon: Welcome Spring plus ribbon

Stamping Sensations: Flower Power

Thanks so much for visiting today

 Claire xx

Giant Poppy

Hi there,  usually I'd be thinking about going back to work tomorrow but I've got the week off work so I've had a play and made this card using the gorgeous Giant Poppy stamps from Indigo Blu so that I can sneak in with a last minute entry to the Indigo Blu challenge where the theme is 'Red'.

The largest image is a really ginormous stamp so this is an 8x8 card, I began by stamping the smaller poppies, I masked them and stamped the large poppy ad the leaves. I coloured the flowers using my Graph'It Markers and then added tiny dots of glue and sprinkled with black glitter, you can see the sparkle a bit better in this pic:

I created the background with Blue Pearlescent PanPastel and stamped the sentiment (from BFF by Indigo Blu)  with Versafine Black Ink.

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

Crafty Friends: Anything goes

Creative Craft Cottage: Let's get sentimental

Hiding in my craft room: Blending

My time to craft: Flowers

Scrappy Hands: Masking

Simply Papercraft: anything goes

Through the Purple Haze: Add some warm colours

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

Claire xx

Spring Delights at Graph'It Colouring Challenge

Good morning my lovelies, are you ready for the weekend? I certainly am, work has been a nightmare this week as we've been really short staffed but I've just got to muddle through today and I've got 10 days off! I'll be rushing home from work to start my holiday and also to watch the lovely Nikky Hall who's on C&C at 9am and 1pm with some fabulous new releases that you're not going to want to miss. There are some amazing new stamp sets, yes that's right .... new Polkadoodles stamps and they are lush!!

Anyway back to today's card which is my DT project for our 'Spring Delights' challenge at Graph'It Colouring Challenge.. I've chosen the second colour palette for inspiration for my card this week. I've used this gorgeous image from our sponsor Ching Chou Kuik, she's called Sunshine and you can find her here

I love to see the gorgeous backgrounds that people have created with their markers but I don't have a lot of patience so I've created a very quick background with my markers. Just scribble some shades of blue on a glass cutting mat, spritz with Mix'It Fluid and swoosh some glossy card stock through it for a lovely 'sky'. Then I roughly sketched in some grass and a few dots of pink/blue/lilac and lemon to create the effect of flowers! Easy peasy :-)

I've stamped the sentiment (from Indigo Blu) with Bahama Blue Memento Ink and added some little AB gems in the corners before matting and layering with white and pale blue card.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

A bit more time to craft: Anything goes

Ching Chou Kuik Digital Stamps: Easter/Spring colours

Crafts and Me: Spring

Crafty Creations: Spring Fever

Crafty Enjoyments: Easter or Spring

Petal Lu: Anything goes

Sparkles Forum: Make it girlie

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

Claire xx

Babushka goes Steampunk!

Hello there, today's card is bit of fun using one of the gorgeous new Babushka stamps from Chocolate Baroque, these stamps are so cute but I thought it would be fun to give this little lady a bit of a steampunk twist.

I began by creating a 'marbled stains' background using Burnished Pewter, Walnut Stain, Tarnished Brass, Picket Fence and Tea Dye. Next I cut a square for my background and stamped Babushka on another scrap of the background with Archival black ink and coloured her with coloured pencils. I stamped the cogs from Punky Romance on the background with versamark ink and embossed with Gold embossing powder. It looks almost black in the pic but that's my bad photography lol. I stamped 'Imgine' (from Artistic Expressions) with Versamark and again embossed with gold embossing powder.

 I took a scrap of vellum and stamped the 'bat' wings from Steampunk Butterfly and embossed with black embossing powder. I cut them out and stuck them to the back of Babushka and layered her up on the background with 3d foam pads.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Crafting from the heart: anything goes
Crafts Galore Encore: make a card
Crafty Sentiments: Anything goes
The Sisters of Craft: anything goes
Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes
Wonderful Wednesday: Anything goes

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

Anything Creative/Mixed Media Goes at We Love 2 Create

Good morning my lovelies,  feels as though Spring has arrived as its been a lovely sunny weekend here so far. I've probably jinxed the weather now and it'll be snowing later lol. Anyway back to crafting and my card this morning is my DT project for our 'Anything Creative/Mixed Media Goes' challenge at We Love 2 Create. As usual we've got some gorgeous crafty goodies lined up for our lucky winner thanks to those lovely people at Premium Craft Brands.

I've made a quick and easy scenic card using my PanPastels and torn paper masks, you can find links to the colours I've used at the end of the post. I've added some definition to the stencilled dogs by applying versamark ink through the stencil and adding some of the Black Pearl PanPastel Medium, I love this stuff it's soooo sparkly!

I've created a starry sky by mixing some Maimeri Glassy Gel Medium with glitter and applying it through a Dutch Doobadoo A5 Stars stencil.

I've used some ribbon to make a little 'lead' and added a cute little bone shaped charm and stamped the sentiment with black archival ink.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Craft Rocket: Feathers or fur

Crafting with an attitude: Anything goes

Crafts Galore Encore: make a card

Crafty Ribbons: Monochrome

Crafty Catz: Ribbon and bling

Sparkles Forum : Something for the males

That's Crafty: Stencils and masks

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

Claire xx

PanPastel Ultramarine Blue	Phthalo Blue extra dark	Phthalo Blue Shade	Black fine Pearl	Black COARSE Pearl Medium for PanPastels
Neutral Grey Pan Pastel	Sofft Sponge Bar	Stars Stencil Dutch Doobadoo

Butterflies at Fashionable Stamping Challenges

Hello there folks, its challenge time over at Fashionable Stamping Challenges and this month our theme is 'Butterflies' so it's a nice easy one for you, we all love butterflies. Our lucky winner will receive a fab prize from our sponsor Flonzcraft and the DT will be choosing their Top 3 favourites too. Remember we are a stamping challenge though so no digi stamps are allowed.

I've made a tag for my DT project, I have to confess it started as a larger project but went horribly wrong lol. I managed to salvage it and rather than throw it away decided to make a tag. The background was made by glueing scraps from a dictionary page to my cardstock and stamping the focal image using 'Floral Girl' from Flonzcraft  (l just love love love this stamp, she's so cute and quirky, you can find her here)  with versmark and embossing with WOW Black EP. I  masked her with Pebeo masking fluid. If you've never tried Pebeo masking fluid you really need it, its by far the best I've never used as it dried quickly, rubs off cleanly and best of all it doesn't ruin your brush.

Next came some Twinkly h2o paints in shades of blue, green and turquoise. I used them very diluted and just let them merge on the background, adding some splashes and splatters of paint here and there. While that was drying I made the butterflies, using freebie Sheena Douglass stamps. I stamped them on dictionary pages with versamark, embossed with WOW black EP and added some colour with Twinkling h2os in shades of pink and purple. Once the paint was dry I layered up 6/7 layers of dictionary pages and cut them out for a lovely dimensional effect.

I added some texture to the background with some texture paste applied trough punchinella and an Indigo Blu stencil. 

Once everything was dry I removed the masking fluid and painted the focal image with distressinks.

To finish off I've added some tiny sparkly gems, some ribbon and a sentiment from Chocolate Baroque.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Anything but cute mixed media challenge: Crazy for colour

4 Crafty Chicks: 7 layers

Rhedd's Creative Spirit: Anything mixed media

STAMPlorations: Stamps and texture

That's Crafty : Stencils and masks

WOW Embossing Powder: Anything goes

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

Claire xx

Spring Pastels at Polkadoodles

Good morning folks, its challenge time at Polkadoodles and this time around out theme is 'Spring Pastels'. As always there's a fab prize from Polkadoodles up for grabs and Top 3 honours too!
For my DT project I've made a card using the adorable Winnie Sugar Sprinkles Spirngime collection which you can find here.

I've used a couple of the beautiful papers and lots of precoloured elements from the Design Sheets to mae this card, sooo quick and easy to make. I've just added pearls, ribbon, a paper doiley and a little bit of distressing to finish off. 

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

ABC: C is for cute

Aud Sentiments: Easter/Springtime

Crafty Enjoyments: Easter/Spring

Crafty Sentiments: Easter

Deep Ocean: Easter

Pearly Sparkles: Girlie and pearly

The Ribbon Girls: Spring or Easter

Thanks so much for visiting today 

Claire xx

Free download from Chocolate Baroque

Hi there folks, goodness me I'm chasing my tail this week. I'm like the white rabbit, always late lol. Anyway better late than never with this card which is my DT make over at Chocolate Baroque Challenge blog - this one isn't for the colour challenge though, it's showcasing a gorgeous free download paper designed by the very talented Lesley Wharton. Pop over to the challenge blog and have a look, Lesley is sooo clever!!

I didn't really want to cover this beautiful paper up too much so I printed it off twice. Once sheet I used for the background, distressing a little with Gathered Twigs distress ink and stamping with a gorgeous corner stamp from the A4 stamp sheet Butterfly Daisy Collage and embossing with white embossing powder. I added some faux pearls and layered it up on some kraft card.

The focal image was created by stamping the image (from Briar Rose Butterfly) on to another sheet of the paper. I positioned the stamp carefully so I could make sure the design followed through when I layered it up. I coloured the image with my Lyra Pencils and decoupaged the butterflies by stamping them again onto self adhesive sparkly acetate and layering them up.

I die cut the image , again distressing and layering up on kraft before carefully attaching it to the card with 3d foam tape. To finish off I've added a bow and a paper flower from my stash.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

As you like it: favourite style of embossing 

(i love heat embossing, it looks fab and I love to watch the powder change)

Bunny Zoe's: things with wings

Crafting for all Seasons: Add some sparkle

Crafts Galore Encore: make a card

Creative Knockouts: Die cuts/punches

Stamping Sensations: flower power

Star Stampz: Embossing

The Sisters of Craft: anything goes

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

Claire xx

I am my own unique self ....

Hello there, just popping in with a quick project made using the fabulous new Babushka stamps from Chocolate Baroque. I've made a canvas using various sizes of these lovely new stamps and one of the sentiments from an old favourite stamp sheet Artistic Affirmations.

I began by adding a little texture to the canvas using some texture paste and a stencil although you can't see it very well in the photos. Next I stamps the various Babushka stamps on tissue paper using Memento Tuxedo Black ink. I left it to dry and then coloured one of the larger images carefully using Graph'It Markers. To decide which image to colour lay the tissue paper over the canvas so you can see where the edges are and decide which image to colour. I lightly marked the position of the canvas with a pencil and stamped the sentiment with Versamark before embossing with Gold Embossing powder.

I applied a layer of matte gel medium to the canvas and used this to adhere the stamped tissue paper to the canvas. Remember to separate the layers of the tissue and only apply one to the canvas. Once that was dry I used a dark grey pencil to create some shadows. I used a versamark pen to cover the coloured image with ink and applied a layer of clear embossing powder and repeated this several times to create a thick glossy layer .To finish off I added some gilding wax to the edges of the little canvas.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Artistic Inspirations: anything goes

Craft your Passion: anything goes

Ooh La La: add a sentiment

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: make your own background

Southern Girls: Words

Thanks for visiting today, 

Claire xx

Lots of Layers at Vintage Stamping Challenges

Good morning my lovelies, it's the first Monday in March so its time for a new challenge over at Flonzcraft Vintage Stamping Challenges! Our theme this month is 'Lots of Layers' so we want to see at least 3 layers plus some stamping. We're a stamping challenge so no digistamps are allowed. There's a fab prize for our lucky winner (a $20 voucher) from Flonzcraft and Top 3 honours are up for grabs too. It's well worth a visit to the blog as my teamies have created some gorgeous projects to inspire you.

For my card I've used a beautiful floral stamp from Flonzcraft, it's called 'Flower' and you can find it here. I've stamped it on one of the plainer papers from the Prima Madeleine collection (an old favourite) and coloured it with distress inks.

Next I cut lots of layers from scraps of the paper pad, cut out some of the embellies distressed everything with a little Gathered Twigs distress ink before layering up on distressed kraft card. I've added lace, ribbon a pretty pearl button and lots of Prima flowers.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Artistic Stampers: springtime

Crafting with dragonflies: girly cards

Crafty Friends: Floral

Creative Knockouts: Flower Power

Creative Moments: anything goes/ add a sentiment

Frilly and Funkie: Layer it up

Simply Papercraft: Anything goes

Suzy Bee's Blooming Challenge: anything goes with a twist - Spring

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

Claire xx

Birthday Brights at Graph'It Colouring Challenge

Hello again, I'm back again with my second post of the day. This tag is my DT project for our 'Birthday Bright's' challenge over at Graph'It Colouring Challenge where are are over the moon to be sponsored by A Day for Daisies who have a fab prize lined up for our lucky winner. We've also got a prize from Cult Pens up for grabs, they have some great prices on Graph'it markers and fab customer service too! 

 I had a blast colouring this gorgeous image, she's called Magical Daisy Dancer and I decided to colour her in whites and put her on a very bright background based on the first colour palette. Unfortunately I totally forgot about the birthday theme lol. You can find a full list of the colours I've used over on the challenge blog.

I created by background by scribbling my Graph'it markers on my blending palette and spritzing with Mix'it fluid. I swooshed some glossy card through it and then flicked some more mix'it fluid here and there for a bit of texture. Once that was dry I added some clouds made using a natural sponge and acrylic paint. I cut the image out and attached her to the background using matte gel medium. one it was dry I added a little shading under her feet using neutral grey Graph'Its.

The sentiment is from Indigo Blu. I added some pretty rainbow ribbons, some sparkly sequins, die cuts and a cute little daisy from my stash.

I'm entering this tag in the following challenges:

A Day for Daisies: dimensional flowers

Cardz 4 Galz: Women

Creative Knockouts: flower power

Dream Factory: anything goes

Happy Little Stampers Mixed Media' paint

Inspiration Destination: Anything goes

Oddball Art Stamp: use a sentiment

Rhedd's Creative Spirit: Mixed Media, anything goes

Thanks so much for visiting today

Claire xx

Tic Tac Toe inspiration at Polkadoodles

Hello there folks, well I'm very late on parade today as I should have posted this card at 8am but I've had one of 'those' weeks at work and haven't had a minute for the last few days. Thank goodness the weekend is here at last so I'm going to catch up with a little blogging and then have a play! This card is for our Tic Tac Toe challenge over at Polkadoodles, I love this kind of challenge, such fun!! 

I went for a full house making this quick card using lots of elements from the gorgeous new collection Winnie Sugar Sprinkles Springtime  Collection which you can find here as a CD or if you prefer you can get it as a download here. I'd got it all finished and realised I'd forgot to add a tag, I'll have to try a bit harder next time.

I've used some of the gorgeous papers and precoloured embellies, perfect for a quick card. I keep being tempted to get a Scan and cut or a cameo but I've got to admit, I do enjoy cutting out. I've distressed everything and inked with a little Tea Dye distress ink and added some little pearls, ribbon, lace and a button from my stash.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Brown Sugar: cute and cuddly

Crafty Catz: 3 different papers

Crafty Creations: Sentiment as the focal point

Digitally sweet: spring is in the air

Little Miss Muffet: anything goes

Wags'n'Whiskers: Furry friends

Thanks so much for visiting today

Claire xx

Chocolate Baroque Colour Challenge

Good morning folks, today's project is my card for our colour challenge over at Chocolate Baroque Challenge Blog, we've got a gorgeous  card and colour palette for inspiration this time around.



I had a play with my Tinkabella Inks to create this card. I began by dropping the ink randomly on some glossy card stock, letting the colours mix and blend.

I left the background to dry and then added some stamping using some of my favourite stamps from the Chocolate Baroque Fairy collection (which you can find here). I always struggle to get a good impression with silhouette stamps but a black pen soon fills any gaps lol. I added some glitter to the wings and some little white highlights to finish off.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Artistic Inspirations: Anything goes

Glitter and Sparkle: things with wings

Morgan's Art World: for the ladies

Not just cards: anything goes

Suzy Bees Blooming Challenge: anything goes with a twist: fantasy

The Crazy Challenge: Red

Through the Purple Haze: Make a scene

Thanks so much for visiting today

Claire xx

Thinking of you at Eclectic Ellapu

Good morning folks, it's March already so hopefully Spring will be here soon and it also means it's time for a new challenge over at Eclectic Ellapu and for the pink team this month our theme is 'Thinking of You'. As always my teamies have made some really beautiful projects and the lovely ladies on the purple team have a fab challenge theme lined up too so if you have a min pop over and check them out.

I've made a card using some of my favourite stamps from Chocolate Baroque. The gorgeous geranium image is from the lovely Flora and Fauna A4 stamp sheet and I've used the same stamp for the focal image and the background. For the main image I've stamped the image in versamark and embossed with white EP to try and give that lovely variegated look you see on some geranium leaves. I've painted the image with distress inks and splashed some diluted inks around the image (Peeled Paint,, Bundled Sage and Wilted Violet)

For the background I've used the same stamp but just inked up the top part (flowers and leaves) with versamark and stamped randomly over my cardstock before again embossing with white EP. I've used distress inks and the acrylic block technique over the embossed images.

The sentiment is one of my favourites, again from Chocolate Baroque, this time from Words of Comfort and Cheer, I've stamped it on some scraps of the background card using Elderberry Memento Ink. It's hard to see on the pic but the sentiment reads:

'If knowing that someone cares helps the healing process

..... then you should be feeling better already'

To finish off I've added faux pearls, lace, ribbon, paper flowers and a pretty heart shaped wooden button.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Chocolate Coffee and Cards: anything goes

Crafty Friends: Floral

Fussy and Fancy: Shabby bingo

 (my line is distressing, something new (violet ink pad), texture and ribbon/bow)

Ooh La La: add a sentiment

Simply Papercraft: Anything goes

The Ribbon Girls: use any image

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

Claire xx