Anything Goes at Colour Crazy Craft Challenge

Good morning my lovelies, it's time for a new challenge over at Colour Crazy Craft Challenge and for the next two weeks we're sticking with our theme of Anything Goes. You can use any colouring medium to enter and our lucky winner will receive a prize from our sponsor Crafty Sentiments, there's also some Graph'It markers up for grabs too so it's well worth playing along.

I've coloured this adorable image from our sponsor Crafty Sentiments with my Graph'It markers, for a full list of colours used pop over to the challenge blog. I've used one of the gorgeous papers from the Winnie in Wonderland collection from Polkadoodles and added a doily, die cuts, pearls and a bow topped with a little button and some bakers twine.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Crafty Sentiments: Anything goes

Creates and Makes: anything goes/use a die

Paper Shelter: Blooming Days

Simon Says Stamp: anything goes

The Crafty Addicts: Anything goes/ patterned paper

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

Claire xx

Chocolate Baroque Colour Challenge

Good morning folks, how's your week going? It's week 2 of our monthly challenge over at Chocolate Baroque Challenge Blog and we've got a beautiful colour palette to inspire you. There's a fabulous prize of a voucher to spend at Chocolate Baroque and top 3 honours are up for grabs too.

I've made a quick Christmas card using colours inspired by this month's inspiration pic

I began with distress inks and blended them to create an ombre effect. I used Tumbled Glass, Broken China, Stormy Skies, and Chipped Sapphire. Once the ink was dry I stamped the edges using stamps from Winter Edges using versamark and heat embossed with a sparkly white WOW embossing powder. I heat embossed the sentiment and added some falling show with a White Graph'It Shake pen.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Dragonfly Dreams: monochromatic

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas: Use a sentiment

Get Creative: Embossing

Paper Creators Crafts: Christmas

WOW Embossing Powder: Anything goes with embossing powder

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 folks, I've made a little Christmas canvas for our 'Anything Creative/Mixed Media' Challenge over at We Love to Create. We've got some lovely crafty stash from our sponsors Premium Craft Brands for our lucky winner and of course lots of inspiration from my lovely teamies too.

I began by applying Turquoise Shade, Permanent Red Shade and Paynes Grey PanPastels to my canvas. I used strong colours as I knew I wanted to layer over some printed tissue which would mute the colours. I stamped the trees and Santa in his sleigh on the tissue with Black Versafine Ink and once that was dry I adhered it with matte medium.

To finish off I added some die cuts, a snowflake border, holly and 25 that Id coloured with PanPastels. I added some Rock Candy Crackle paint to the numbers and the berries.

I'm entering this with the following challenges:

Christmas at Sweet Stampin: Christmas die cuts

Incy Wincy: things that fly

Love to Scrap: anything goes

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: music

Simply Papercraft: Anything goes

Through the Craft Room Door: anything goes

Thanks so much for visiting today

Claire xx

PanPastel Turquoise Shade	Permanent Red Shade	Paynes Grey	PanPastel Phthalo Green	Silver Metallic PanPastel
Permanent Red	Black COARSE Pearl Medium for PanPastels

Texture at Chocolate Baroque

Good morning folks, we've got a theme of Texture over at Chocolate Baroque this month and I've made an 8x8 canvas for my 3rd piece of artwork. I love this gorgeous lady, she's called 'Spriing Awakening' and you can find her here.

I added texture to the background using texture paste, I scored some 'rays' for a little spring sunshine with an old credit card and stamped into the texture paste with some of the stamps from Nature Fragments. Once it was dry I added a little stencilling, once it was dry I set to with acrylic paints to add some colour. I distressed the edges with walnut stain distress ink.

I coloured the image with Graph'It markers and cut her out before glueing her to the canvas.

I used my glue gun and acrylic paint to create the word Spring and then added a little gilding wax here and there and lots of embellishments from Craft Box for some more texture.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Addicted to Stamps and More: make your mark

Brown Sugar: anything goes

Fussy and Fancy: My favourite things

Lemon Shortbread: Anything goes

Lost Coast Designs: anything goes

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

Claire xx

Anything goes or Christmas at Polkadoodles

Good morning folks, we're getting ready for Christmas over at Polkadoodles where out theme is 'Anything Goes with an optional Christmas twist' . Of course we've got a fab prize for our lucky winner and lots of inspiration from my lovely teamies too! 

For my DT project this time I've made a shadow box using some of the papers from the fabulous new Festive Christmas collection (you can find it here on CD or as a download here)  and stamps from Red Red Robin and O Christmas Tree (you can find them here are there are some fab offers too!)

I began with an 8x8 canvas and created a snowy effect using coarse modelling paste, white acrylic paint and lots of glitter.

I created the scene by printing off the beautiful backing paper 3 times and cutting out layers of trees which I applied with silicone glue for some dimension.  I created the moon by applying some glitter and glue to the reverse of a glass cabochon and popping it in the sky, a little squidge round spreads the glitter nicely.

I added some stamped and embossed Christmas trees and some snowdrifts simply made from card that I glittered and added shaved ice. I stamped and coloured the robin and cut it out, leaving him stood on a snowdrift.

I added ribbon, bells and some wooden buttons that I painted with silver acrylic paint.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

A Snowflakes Promise: Anything goes/seasons

Craft your Passion: Anything goes

Deep Ocean: Anything goes

Incy Wincy: things that fly

Ooh La La: anything goes

That's Crafty: Christmas in September

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

Claire xx

Seaside or Anything Goes at Polkadoodles

Good  morning folks, today's project is my DT make for our challenge over at Polkadoodles where our theme is 'Anything Goes or Seaside'. As always we've got a fab prize up for grabs and my teamies have made some beautiful projects to inspire you too. Before I tell you about my project though, don't forget our lovely Nikky Hall will be on Create and Craft today at 2pm and 7pm with some fabulous products and amazing demos too!

For my DT project I've made a little concertina book with a stampbord cover using stamps from Tropical Underworld and coloured them with Graph'It Markers.

I've stamped the images with Memento Inks and added distress inks in blues and green. The stampbord cover was then triple embossed with clear UTEE

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Crafting with Friends: Anything goes
Critters and Creatures: Anything goes with a critter/creature
Fab'n'funky: go outside and be inspired by nature
Ooh La La: anything goes
Simply Papercraft: anything goes

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

Claire xx

Anything Goes at Colour Crazy Craft Challenge

Good morning my lovelies, thank goodness it's Friday! I've just got to stagger through today at work the weekend will be here! We've got a new challenge over at Colour Crazy Craft Challenge and we're keeping it nice and with a theme of Anything Goes. I've colour
ed up one of the fab images from our sponsor Oddball Art Stamps using my Graph'It Markers to make this card.

You can find a full list of the colours used over on the challenge blog,.

I made the background with PanPastels using the Black and White pearlescent coarse mediums for a sparkly effect although that doesn't show up too well in the pic.

I'm entering this in the following challenges:

Artistic Inspirations: Anything goes

Crafting with an Attitude: Anything goes

Everybody Art Challenge: anything goes

Little Miss Muffet: Anything goes

Through the Purple Haze: some attitude

Wonderful Wednesdays: Anything goes

Thanks so much for visiting today, 

Claire xx

Anything Creative/Mixed Media Goes at We Love to Create

Good morning (again), my third post today and this time I'm sharing my project for our new challenge over at We Love 2 Create where our theme is 'Anything Mixed Media/Creative Goes' and of course we've got a fabulous crafty prize for our lucky winner from Premium Craft Brands. You don't have to use our products to enter  either so I hope you're going to play along.

I've used shades of Permanent Red PanPastel to create this project and added some Raw Umber to distress everything. I've used my pans to colour the background and added some stencilling using a Dutch Doobadoo chicken wire stencil. I've used my pans on the die cuts and embellies too. The heart and crown are grungeboard, I used versamark ink before my Pans on these as this intensifies the colour.. The butterflies are stamps from Polkadoodles 'Absolute Vintage' clear stamp set, stamped with Potting Soil archival ink onto a scrap of card coloured with Permanent Red Tint PanPastel.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Allsorts: anniversaries/special occasions 

Brown Sugar: anything goes

Crafts Galore Encore: anything goes

Craft Rocket: Anything goes

In the Pink: buttons/bows in pink

Sparkles Forum: anything goes

We Love Vintage: vintage romance

Thanks for visiting, hope to see you again soon

Claire xx

Permanent Red Tint Pan Pastel

Permanent Red Shade

Permanent Red Extra Dark

PanPastel Rich Gold Metallic

Raw Umber PanPastel

Texture at Chocolate Baroque

Good morning folks, it's a bit like a bus stop here this morning as I haven't posted all week and now I've got 3 posts in one day lol. Over at Chocolate Baroque, our theme this month is texture and the DT are all showcasing some of their favourite stamps and sharing lots of techniques that you can use to create texture on your projects. For my second DT project I've altered a little gift box and used Key to my Dreams A5 Stamp Sheet.

I began with a coat of black gesso and once that dried I added lots of different die cuts from my stash. I wasn't fussy about the colours as once they were stuck down I gave them a coat of black gesso too. I created the lock and key for the front of the box by rolling out some paper clay and pressing the stamps into the clay. When you remove the stamp, the image is pressed into the clay creating lots of texture. I left this overnight to dry and then cut them out, painting them with black gesso.. The little frame is from the pound shop, again painted with black gesso

To create a kind of old metal with a little rust and patina I dabbed on various shades of paint. I used brown, orange, gold and copper, blending a little with a baby wipe. While the paint was wet I sprinkled in various embossing powders (copper, turquoise, gold and brown) and left it all to dry. Once it was dry I heated the embossing powder, I wasn't sure if this would work with the paint and it did bubble quite a bit but that just added to the effect. 

I stamped the sentiment onto a scrap of card that I'd used to mop up some of the paint and then assembled the box, adding a few highlights with gilding wax and a little black gesso to define the key hole.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Altered Eclectics: Anything goes

A Vintage Journey: create within a frame

Crafty Cardmakers: Layers

Sandee and Amelie's Steampunk Challenge: anything goes steampunk/industrial

WOW Embossing Powders: Anything goes with WOW powders

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

Claire xx

Autumn colours at Fashionable Stamping Challenges

Hello there, it's time for a new challenge at Fashionable Stamping Challenges and this month our theme is 'Autumn Colours'. We're starting to see the first signs of those lovely autumn shades here so it's a perfect theme for this time of the year. My teamies have created some stunning projects to inspire you and we've got a fab prize from Flonzcraft for our lucky winner too! We do need you to ink up those clear/rubber stamps though, no digi stamps allowed!

I've had a lot of messy fun creating this wall hanging for my DT project.

My first job was to colour the image,  Autumn Medley from Chocolate Baroque with my Graph'it Markers. I cut her out and set to making a background for her.

 I began with corrugated card, spritzing with a little water to remover the top layer and then painting with shades of brown/orange/green/gold and copper acrylic paint. I set that aside to dry. Next I cut white card to size and stamped the image where I wanted her to give me a guide when I started sloshing paint around. I diluted some acrylic paints and created a background of runny paint in autumn shades by letting the paint run down the card. Once that was dry I applied distress ink in Brushed Corduroy to fill in any gaps.

I took lots of flowers, a little piece of tulke a grungeboard heart and key and some ribbon from my stash and sprayed them with Starburst stains and glimmer mists. While they were drying I used my glue gun to write 'Autumn' on my glass cutting mat. I had to have a few attempts but it was fun and for a change I managed not to burn my fingers lol. Once the wording had cooled I painted it with acrylics and highlighted with a little gilding wax.

I put the canvas together and added a few little berries, some raffia and a few more highlights using gilding wax.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Creative Artiste: Mixed Media

Fab'n'Funky: Fall colours

Really Reasonable Ribbon: Autumn colours with ribbon/trim

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Stamp it

Simply Create Too: Fall colours

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

Claire xx

Anything Goes at Colour Crazy Challenge!

Good morning my lovelies, I don't know about you but I'm soooo pleased it's Friday! Its time for a new challenge over at Colour Crazy Challenge and our theme is 'Anything Goes', you can use any medium to colour your image and we've got fab prizes up for grabs too! We've got a fab prize from Lemon Shortbread for our lucky winner and we've also got Graph'It goodies up for grabs too.

For my card I've used Baby Doll Girl from Lemon Shortbread, coloured of course with Graph'It Markers. There's a full list of the colours used over on the challenge blog.

The paper is from the Polkadoodles Winnie in Wonderland collection, I love the papers Nikky has designed they are always fab but these are awesome.

To finish off I've added ribbon, lace, and a couple of resin embellies.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Colouring in Scrapland: Anything goes

Craft Rocket: Anything goes

Digi Choosday: Anything goes

Lemon Shortbread: anything goes

Little Miss Muffet: anything goes

Simon Says Stamp: anything goes

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

Claire xx

Texture at Chocolate Baroque

Good morning my lovelies, September already! Where is time going? Over at Chocolate Baroque, the DT are creating projects with a focus on texture so my teamies will have lots of idea for you over the next few weeks. I've used glitter to add texture to my project.

The focal image is from 'Essence of Nature' which I stamped with versamark onto a background I'd created with shades of pink twinkling H2Os. I embossed with black embossing powder and trimmed the image down before matting on black card. I created a band of by applying a strip of red line tape, removing the backing and sprinkling on lots of pink glitter. I created some more glittery texture by stamping the sentiment (from Birthday Words) with some adhesive embossing powder, heating and then applying the glitter.

I'll be finding pink glitter everywhere for weeks now lol.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Crafting by Designs: Anything goes

Crafty Friends: Lots of glitter

Fab'n'Funky: Anything goes

Sparkle'n'Sprinkle: Anything goes with glitter/flock/EP

Through the Craft Room Door: Anything goes

Wonderful Wednesdays: Anything goes

Thanks for visiting today,

Claire xx

Gifts at Eclectic Ellapu

Good morning folks, it's time for our new challenge at Eclectic Ellapu and this month the Pink Team's theme is 'Gifts' so you can make a gift, use an image with a gift or as I've done use a gift . I've used an empty bottle to create my project and had lots of messy fun altering it.

I began with a coat of matte medium and then applied lots of rock candy crackle paint and a sprinkle of glamour dust. Once that was dry I dripped on alcohol inks in shades of blue and green. I stamped the images using Lavinia stamps and blue versafine ink onto tissue paper and adhered it to the bottle using more matte medium. I glued some pearl string around the image.

I used ribbon to cover the top of the bottle and used hot glue to attach a sparkly door knob to the top of the bottle. To finish off I've added a beaded tassel, some more pearls and a pretty button.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Deep Ocean: things with wings

Fussy and Fancy: Let's fly away

My time to craft: something that flies

Simon Says Stamp: Anything goes

Sweet Stampin: no designer paper

That's Crafty: Get cracking

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

Claire xx