Anything Mixed Media/Creative Goes at We Love 2 Create

Good morning my lovelies, I've been a bit quiet of the blogging front recently with the chaos of getting ready for Christmas and work too I haven't had a minute to post for ages but here I am with my second post of the day lol. Its our new challenge over at We Love 2 Create and as always out theme is 'Anything Creative/Mixed Media Goes'. You don't have to use our products to enter but we love it when you do! Our lucky winner will receive some gorgeous crafty goodies from Premium Craft Brands!

I've altered this MDF word to create a little Winter Wonderland scene, I didn't have a lot of time but PanPastels are fabulous to create a very quick background. I'd already created a crackle background on the MDF using acrylic paints but I set to and made a bit of a forest background on some card (cut to shape using a dinner plate lol) .  I stamped the trees with Versamark ink and used shades of Phthalo Blue PanPastel to shade the trees.I blended the excess out to create the sky but forgot to mask the moon, doh! Not a problem with Pans though as they are erasable so I used a circle die and a pencil eraser to create my moon. I added some falling snow with a White Graph'It Shake pen before attaching to the back of the MDF. Next I cut out three snowdrifts from white card, smothered them with texture paste and brushed over Course White Pearl Medium, it gives a beautiful frosty sparkle!

 I layered up the snowdrifts with silicone glue and popped my little image (My Friend Flakey from Sugar Nellie) coloured with Graph'It Markers) behind the 'O'. I created some snow on the word itself and along the front by applying texture paste and again dusting with White Coarse and Fine PanPastel Medium

Here's  a pic from above, you can see I made some little support for the image with scraps of white card.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Crafty Hazelnut's: anything Christmas

Daring Cardmakers: All Wrapped up

Sweet Stampin: Merry Christmas

That's Crafty: Anything goes

The Sugar Bowl: Anything goes

Well I'd better go, lots to do before the big chap in the red suit arrives lol.
Thanks for visiting today
Claire xx

Phthalo Blue extra dark	Phthalo Blue Shade	Pan Pastels - Phthalo Blue Tint	White Fine Pearl Medium for Pan Pastels	White COARSE Pearl Medium for PanPastels
Graph It shake it white marker	Graph′It Markers	PanPastel - Sofft Tools Kit

Inspired by Tim at PanPastel UK

Hi there well after a rainy start is a beautiful sunny day here, I hope you're enjoying the lovely sunshine too. Fingers crossed it lasts for my week off work. We've got a fab new challenge starting today at PanPastel UK, this time around our theme is 'Inspired by Tim' so we're all taking inspiration from the one and only Mr Tim Holtz. As always you have two weeks to enter and there is a fab prize up for grabs from our generous sponsors at Premium Craft Brands so if you've got a min, pop over to find out all the details and check out the beautiful projects from my lovely teamies.

I've had a play with my PanPastels and distress inks to create my Tim inspired tag. I began by creating a background by blending Turquoise Tint, Permanent Green Tint and Ultramarine Blue tint. I decided to have a play with the Emboss Resist technique for this months theme at Craft Stamper challenge so I stamped one of the new Tangled Fragments from Chocolate Baroque with versamark and embossed with clear EP. I splodged some distress inks (Tea Dye, Vintage Photo and Frayed Burlap) on my craft mat, misted with water and then dabbed my background into the inky mess

I stamped the bird and branches stamps with Vintage Photo distress ink, distressed the edges of the tag with a craft knife and a little Raw Umber PanPastel. I added a die cut bird cage, coloured with PanPastels and highlighted with a little gold PanPastel, adding some lace, seambinding and an Idea-ology fragment. To finish off I added some string, a little wooden bird that I recycled from a bouquet of flowers and an altered brad at the top of the tag. I used another Craft Stamper technique for my brad, applying embossing powder and some cheesecloth. I love this technique!!

I'm entering this tag in the following challenges:

A Vintage Journey: dies and distress

Deep Ocean: add a sentiment

Divas by Design: things with wings

My Heart Pieces: anything but a card

Totally Gorjuss: Tag it

Thanks so much for popping by today

Claire xx

Mixing it up at Premium Craft Brands ...

Hi there folks, hasn't the last week flown? Its time for a new challenge at PanPastel UK, there's a fab prize up for grabs from our lovely sponsor Berni at Your Creativity Store and as always my talented teamies have created some gorgeous projects to inspire you.

 

I've made a Christmas card, I used silver PanPastel mixed with water in a mini- mister bottle and spritzed on to some black card, and used my fingers to splatter some more of the mixture on. Then I overstamped with a Stampers Anonymous snowflake stamp and versmark and applied some gold PanPastel. 

I made the little tree from scraps of cream card, I stamped them with a music stamp and versamark and coloured some with black PanPastel and some with Permanent Red, I used cheap hairspray to seal the Pans and then rolled the scraps into little rolls, cut them to size and glued them to my background. I added a pot and a trunk and popped a little red bow on the pot. Now any Cristmas tree has to have some baubles so I added some Doodle Dewdrops and a little bark star that I'd coloured with gold PanPastel.

To finish off I stamped the 'Rockin around the Christmas Tree' sentiment (from Chocolate Baroque), snipped it up and popped it on the card.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Aud Sentiments: any sentiment

Craft Stamper Take it Make it: splatter

Crafts Too: Vintage Christmas (polychromatic)

Crafty Hands: sparkle and bling

Delicious Doodles: no designer paper

Moving Along with the Times: music inspired

Rhedd and Rosie's : Christmas

Totally Papercrafts: add a bow

Have a good day, i'm away to tackle the ironing and make a start with cooking Sunday lunch 

Thanks for popping by today

Claire xx

Paper Piecing at Fashionable Stamping Challenges

Hello folks, I hope you're keeping nice and warm in this horrible wintery weather, what on earth has happened to Spring? Still its just the weather to do some crafting so we shouldn't complain really lol. We've got a new challenge starting over at Fashionable Stamping Challenges and this time our theme is 'Paper Piecing', chosen by yours truly (goodness knows why as its not a technique i use a lot). Our lovely sponsor Leo from Flonzcraft has a fabby prize for our lucky winner so I hope you're going to ink up those stamps and join us.

For my card i've created a background using PanPastels, Maimeri iridescent medium through a prima mask and Stampers Anonymous stamps. I stamped the sentiment from Non sequitur with black stazon. 

The focal image is from Chocolate Baroque, I stamped and coloured her with Graph'It Markers and then stamped her again o some gorgeous Prima Firefly paper and embossed with black EP. I paper pieced her dressed and then stamped another dress from the same stamp set on some more prima paper, cut it out and popped it on a little beaded coat hanger.

To finish off i've added some seambinding, die cut swirls and a paper rose from Wild Orchid Crafts.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Brown Sugar: anything goes

Charisma: die cuts

Crafty Creations: embossing

Polkadoodles: embossing

Vickie's Challenge: anything goes

If you've got a minute, why not check out my lovely teamies beautiful projects. As always they've created some stunning artwork to inspire you

thanks for popping by and for your lovely comments

Claire xx

Friendship gives wings to the heart

Hi there, hope your week is going well, Wednesday is here already and if you squint you'll be able to see the weekend in the distance lol. Today's project is a little paper mache heart that I've altered using stamps from 'Pretty Poppes' by Chocolate Baroque/

I've painted the heart with ecogreen acrylic paints and then stamped with a fabric weave stamp from Indigo Blu (it was a freebie stamp from using the code in Craft Stamper and it is fab!) with white pigment ink to give a bit of texture to the background. Next came Maimeri Matte Gel Medium and  a layer of tissue paper, stamped with a crackle stamp using gold stazon. The poppies were coloured with promarkers and cut out (that was a bit of a nightmare as i'm blind as a bat lol), they were also applied with Maimeri Matte medium, as was the sentiment which was also stamped using Gold stazon on tissue paper. The Bee stamp is from Rose Garden by Chocolate Baroque, with a bit of glamour dust on his wings and some Maimeri glassy gel over the top. The sides were painted with gold acrylic paint and I stamped some ladybirds, gave them a coat of glassy gel and stuck them to the sides and forgot to take a pic of them DOH!

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

City Crafter: Friendship

Corrosive Challenge: hearts anf flowers

Crazy for Challenges: friendship/good spirits

Eureka Stamps: Sweet hearts

Everybody Art Challenge: hearts

Top Tip Tuesday: Let me call you sweetheart

Thanks for popping by today and for all your lovely comments

have a good day 

Claire xx

New Year, New Technique at PanPastel UK

Good morning :-) We've got a new challenge at PanPastel UK and we want to see you use a new technique this time. I love this kind of challenge, it certainly gets the old brain cell working overtime lol. I've really been enjoying playing with the Maimeri mediums from Your Creativity Store and for my new technique I decided to try colouring the gorgeous 'Glassy Gel' with alcohol inks. 

I've made a photo frame, and gone for a masculine colour palette for my project. I used two of the square canvases and began by adding some colour with turquoise tint panpastel and a little tuquoise shade. I mixed the Glassy Gel with some ginger and expresso alcohol ink, and applied through a Crafters Workshop Template. 

I just love working with glassy gel, it really gives a gorgeous effect and I'm chuffed to bits that it takes colour so easily. Once it was dry I added shades of brown PanPastel and stamped on some Stampers Anonymous butterflies and text. I used the same colours on the inside, adding a frame made with my new nesties and a Chocolate Baroque sentiment.

I've used grungeboard hinges, coloured of course with more PanPastels to join the two canvases, adding a little Pebeo Fantasy paint to the hinges. You can see the hinges a bit better in this pic

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Crafting for all Seasons: Something new

Crazy Challenge: no designer paper

Inky Chicks: Anything goes

LEJ Designs: something new

Try it on Tuesday: New stash

Don't forget our lucky winner will receive a fabby PanPastel starter kit from the lovely Berni at Your Creativity Store so you don't want to miss out on the change to win!

Thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Mask it at Fashionable Stamping Challenges

Hello folks and Happy Sunday to you :-) My card today is for our new challenge at Fashionable Stamping Challenges and it was my turn to choose the theme this time around and I've chosen 'Mask it' as our theme so you can use masking techniques or a mask stamp,  etc. Don't forget we're a rubber stamping challenge so no digi stamp allowed. As usual our lucky winner will receive a fabby gift voucher from our regular sponsor Marina from Cottage Crafts !

For my card I've used masking to create my background, I've wanted to have a try and masking pyramids for ages so this challenge was the ideal opportunity to put it into practice. I thought it would be tricky but PanPastels are so forgiving is was easy peasy :-)

I created 3 maske - firstly one of the fronts of the pyramids, then one of the sides of the pyramids and lastly one of the full pyramids. I used shades of yellow, brown and a little black PanPastels for the pyramids. I began by applying the pastels through the mask of the front of the pyramids and then through the side view mask - adding a little black to create shadows. The I masked the finished pyramids and added the sky using Phthalo blue extra dark panpastel with a little Paynes Grey and Black around the edges. 

I stamped the 3 kings stamp from Stampers Anonymous with black archival ink. The star and sentiment are from Chocolate Baroque, stamped with versamark and embossed with gold EP. To finish off I've added a gem to the centre of the star and matted the image on layers of gold, black and white card.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Aud Sentiments: Anything goes with a seasonal sentiment

Charisma Cardz: Christmas makes

Creative Card crew: Star

Deep Ocean: Christmas

Here come the boys: anything goes

Paper play: You're a star

There she goes: Season of giving

Thanks for popping by

Claire xx

The Funkie Junkie's Tag challenge: number 8

Good morning folks, yipppee Saturday at last, I love the weekend!! I'd like to say hello to my lovely new followers, its great to 'meet' you, I'd love to pop by and follow your blogs but I can't always see your blogger profile. If yours isn't visible it would be great if you could leave me a message or email me so I can visit you too. Anyway here's my 8th pennant inspired by Linda's fab Tag Challenge over at the Funkie Junkie . You can see Linda's tag here, its gorgeous but I didn't have many of the 'ingredients' to had to raid my stash and improvise a bit. If you haven't checked out the challenge you can find all the details on Linda's blog here. The challenge is sponsored by Linda's online store the Funkie Junkie Boutique so there are some fab prizes up for grabs.

I've created a background using the marbled stains technique (I used picket fence, tarnished brass and Vintage photo distress stains) which I overstamped with a Stampers Anonymous crackle stamp. The bells are a Joanna Sheen stamp and the poinsettias are a stamp from Chocolate Baroque. I already had this cute little Santa coloured up, so I cut him out, adding some flowersoft (eeeek, I actually used flowersoft lol) and popped him on a Szzix die cut that had the same background treatment, this time overstamped with a holly background stamp from Chocolate Baroque.

I've added some red pompom trim and some ribbon to the top of the bunting and to finish off I've made a flower from Crinoline fabric (also from The Funkie Junkie), die cut with tattered florals and coloured with Festive Berries distress ink, the centre is a faceted clear bead attached with gold stickles but the sparkle doesn't show up too well in the pic.

I'm entering this one in the following challenges:

Bearly Mine: Santa is on his way

Deep Ocean: Christmas

Everybody Art: Christmas

Oozak: anything goes plus red

Paper Playtime: Christmas Colours

Pretty Little Ribbon Shop: Christmas

Tuesday Alchemy: anything but a card

Only another week to get my Christmas bunting finished for Linda's challenge, Ive got another two done and waiting for some daylight to take their photos so that means two more to make,  guess what I'll be doing today lol??? Thanks for popping by

Claire 

A pocket full of posies at Vintage Stamping Challenges

Good morning my friends, we've got a brand new challenge starting at Vintage Stamping Challenges today and I've chosen the theme which is 'Pocket Full of Posies', we all love flowers don't we? As usual there is a generous prize up for grabs, from our lovely sponsor Leo at Flonzcraft. I've made a little gift for my DT project, hope you like it.

I've used stamps from the gorgeous 'Countrylife Pastoral' set which is a fab bargain and has some beautiful focal stamps, we often neglect the smaller stamps in a set but I wanted to showcase the beautiful flower silhouette stamps in this lovely set. I created a little gift box, using a free template from Craft Stamper magazine. I began by making the template up using brown card. I then used the template to create panels for each of the sections of the box, distressing them with antique linen ad tea dye distress ink and stamping with a crackle background stamp from Stampers Anonymous. I then stamped the flower silhouettes with versamark and embossed with gold EP. Lastly I added faux chocolate brown pearls using cosmic shimmer glue, I also used this to create some little pearl feet for the box.  I also made a floral brooch to pop in the gift box. My blogland buddy Joanna made some gorgoeus delicate jewellery a week or two ago and I took inspiration from her techniques to create the centre for my flower. Have a peep at Joanna's gorgeous work here.

I made the centre of the flower by stamping the flower silhouette on a scrap of craft resist cardstock and distressing with tea dye distress ink. I sprinkled on gold and brown mica flakes and a little green glitter and then attached a 30mm glass glintz with Maimeri gloss medium. Once it was dry I trimmed around the edge of the glass.

I made the flower by die cutting Crinoline fabric from the Funkie Junkie Boutique using the two largest flowers from Tattered Florals (3 of each). I also cut 3 of each of the flowers in netting. I coloured the crinoline flowers with distress stains and the netting flowers with alcohol ink. I layered them up, using a dot of cosmic shimmer glue in between each layer. I used more cosmic shimmer glue to attach the flower centre and left it overnight to dry. 

Next I had a bit of a problem as all the glue made it impossible to sew the brooch back to the flower. It taxed my poor little brain cell but eventually I came up with a plan lol. I die cut a circle of grungeboard, coloured with vintage photo distress ink and sewed the pin to the grungeboard before gluing it to the back of the flower. 

Phew, I was a happy bunny until I turned my back for a second and found Barney, my very mischievous puppy chewing it up! Eeek fortunately its meant to look a bit distressed lol.

I'm entering this (slightly chewed) project in the following challenges:

Alphabet Challenge: V for Vintage

Crafting for all seasons: flowers

Crafty Emblies: Vintage Shabby Chic

Glitter'n'Sparkle: flowers

Joanna Sheen Challenge: anything goes but Christmas

Sugar Creek Hollow: Distressing

Totally gorjuss: anything goes with glitter

Well as its Monday morning, I'd better get my act together and venture out in the cold to go to work

Have a great day, whatever you are doing and if you have a few minutes do check out my talented teamies projects as they are really stunning.

Thanks for popping by

Claire xx

The Funkie Junkies's Christmas Tags,

Good morning, a very quick post from me before I dash off to work. Here's my bunting pennant inspired by Linda at the Funkie Junkie's 6th Christmas tag. Sorry for the awful photo, this is a really sparkly project in real life but I've managed to make it look really flat and dull in the pic so you'll have to use your imagination.

I've used the same background technique as Linda and stamped the trees (from Stampers Anonymous)with vintage photo distress ink. I've added Maimeri irridescent medium through a Crafters Workshop template at the top of the tag. The clock and snowflake are embossed with sparkly EP and the ribbon and bow are from my stash. I've added a little bell at the bottom of this pennant. I only had silver ones so I embossed it with sparkly gold EP and it looks gorgeous :-)

Well I'm still playing catch up with Linda's beautiful tags, if you want to find out more about the challenge pop over and read all the details on Linda's blog here. The challenge is generously sponsored by Linda's store 'The Funkie Junkie' boutique so its definitely not to be missed!!

Well I'd better go and get ready for work. I hate this time of year, its dark when I go to work and dark when I come home. I'm starting to feel like a bat lol

have a good day and thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Linda's Christmas Tags: number 5

Hi there, its a case of one step forward and two back with my festive Christmas bunting. I've caught up with Linda's scrummy fifth tag (check it out here and all the challenge details here, the challenge is sponsored by Linda's store The Funkie Junkie Boutique so you won't want to miss out!) and I've made a start on Tag 6 .... but Barney has eaten Tag number 2. He's at that kind of 'teenage' puppy stage where his paws look huge, his legs are too long for his body and he's always in to mischief lol. He had a lot of fun chewing up my second bunting pennant but I suppose I should be grateful it wasn't a pair of shoes or something. Anyway here's my project inspired by Linda's Tag number 5. Sorry about the dark photo, my photography skills don't improve lol.

The background was made with tarnished brass, picket fence and tea dye distress stains and I've used a Stampers Anonymous music stamp with vintage photo distress ink and chocolate baroque snowflake stamped with snowcap pigment ink, adding some faux pearls for a snowy look. The postage stamps are Whimsy Stamps, I love these as they have a gorgeous little die to cut them out. I've added a little concertina snowflake with a bead cap in the centre and popped it on to a gorgeous brass snowflake charm from The Funkie Junkie Boutique.

I'm entering this one in the following challenges:

Its all about the vintage: Snow

My Mum's Craft Shop: sentiments

My time to craft: Vintage

Penny Black and more: any die will do

Rogue Redhead Designs: uncard

Thanks for popping by today

Claire xx

Alter Something at Fashionable Stamping Challenges

Hi there folks, we've got a new challenge starting at Fashionable Stamping Challenges and this time our theme 'Alter Something' has been set by my lovely teamie Silvia. As always we've got a great prize up for grabs from our lovely sponsor Marina at Cottage Crafts.

I've altered a  little chipboard bird house that I received from another of the lovely talented ladies on the FSC DT, Paula (thank you Paula). We've just decorated the dining  room (well thats a royal we as my son has done the hard work lol) and its got a bit of a birdy theme going on so I thought I'd make a little something to put on the wall. 

I painted the bird house with cream acrylic paint and then added colour with violet and extra dark magenta PanPastels and gave it a spray with hairspray to seal the colours. I'veused stamps from Stampers Anonymous, firstly stamping the text in Rich Cocoa Memento ink and then with versamark embossed with a scrummy sparkly gold EP. I've added some more of this EP around the edges of the bird house. I've popped on some glittered acetate butterflies, some purple ribbon , a key and some gorgeous beaded lacy trim (also thanks to Paula). The die cut bird has been blinged up with some Cocoa glimmer glam paint and a purple radiant rain dabber,

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Anything but a card challenge: Anything but a card

Charisma Cardz: Things with wings

Crafting for all seasons: thing with wings

Fab'n'Funky: things with wings

Love to Create: things with wings

Our Daily Bread: Birds

Simon Says Stamp: embossing

Shopping our Stash: emboss it

Twisted Tuesday: Something that flies plus at least 3 different embellies

Unique Crafters: Anything goes

If you've got a minute, do check out my DT sisters' blogs as they have some gorgeous inspiration to share with you again this week. 

Thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Get inky and messy at FSC

Hi there, sorry I'm awol at the minute, my hubby is still very poorly in hospital and I've also got computer gremlins. Fingers crossed things will soon settle down but in the mean time here's a very quick post with my DT card for Fashionable Stamping Challenges. Our theme this time around is 'Get Inky and Messy' chosen by our very own top model Shirley :-)

I've used distress inks on glossy card to create this card. The background was made with the spring distress inks with the addition of some tumbled glass and shabby shutters. I've used stamps from Stampers Anonymous 'Papillion' and coloured the main image with distress markers. The flowers were made from Crinoline Fabric coloured with distress inks and stamped with text using black archival ink. You can see them a bit better here

 

I've added some black buttons, die cut foliage and some more little butterflies 

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Classy cards and such: Handmade flowers

The Stamp Man: Anything goes summer colours

Stempelsonnen Challenge: Summer

Totally Papercrafts: Lots of layers

Thanks for popping by. I hope you are keeping out of all this rain, it never seems to let up does it? 

Claire xx

All about me at Sarah Hurley Challenge Blog

Hi, back again with my second post today and this one is my DT project for Sarah Hurley's Challenge Blog where Nat has set the challenge this time around. The theme is 'All about me' and Nat wants to see us celebrate  ourselves! Now this one really made my poor little brain cell struggle. I work for a mental health charity and have done lots of groupwork about positive thinking, I came up with the brainwave of creating a journal to record positive 'stuff' about me.

 

I began by carefully removing the cover from the journal (actually a 99p notebook from the Works) and covered it with white card. I had planned to used some of Sarahs gorgeous papers from Tinseltown but my printer has been playing up (my fault I jammed it up trying to print on thick card eeeek). I created the background with distress inks, painted with watered down gesso and then misted with glimmer mists. Next I used a Tattered Angels flourish mask and sponged green PanPastel ovet it.  I stamped with  dandelion clocks from Chocolate Baroque, stars (from Stampotique) and a couple of my favourite sentiment stamps (serendipity by Stampers Anonymous) and a wood mounted stamp that reads 'Be the change you want to see in the world. The world Serendipity is embossed with clear sparkle EP and the stars are painted with glimmer mists.

I found some scraps of my favourite papers from Sarah's  Tinseltown cd (available here!!)and paperpieced the fairy from Stampers Anonymous. It looks a bit weird in the pic as the dress is a solid stamp so I stamped and embossed with clear sparkle EP and its reflecting the light in a really strange way lol. I was tempted to swap the fairies cute little face for my mugshot but gave up on the idea lol

Now for the scary bit lol, I painted white acrylic paint where I wanted to write and added the text with a fineliner pen. One of the group activities we use it to create an acronym of our names using positive words so I decided to add that to my journal cover.

I really enjoyed creating this so think its a project I that I can tempt our craft group with at work, if I ever get through the mountains of paperwork in my office that is.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

CD Sunday: enchantment

Fabulous Friday: use paint

Hooked on Crafts: try something new

Little Claire's: Anything but a card

Simon Says Stamp and show: anything but a card

Totally Gorjuss: use a star

Through the craftroom door: Anything but a card

Try it on Tuesday:do you believe in fairies

Thanks for calling by

Claire xx

Challenge #17 at Christmas Challenges {with sketches}

Hi there, it our first challenge of 2012 at Christmas Challenges {with Sketches} and  this week its my turn to design the sketch so I hope you like it :-) 

For a bit of extra fun we're going to be adding a twist to some of our challenge and this week as well as using the sketch we'd like to see die cuts and/or punches too

This time around our challenge is sponsored by 'My Favourite Things' so don't forget to visit the challenge blog to see the sketch and to find out more about the prize on offer

The backing paper is from Raspberry Road Designs, distressed with a craft knife and matted on pink pearl card. I've created a panel using STampers Anonymous tree stamps and Memento Bamboo leaves ink, I inked the sky with Victorial Velvet distress ink. The circle frame is a Marianne Die cut, swiped with versamark and embossed with gold EP. The gorgeous angel  rubber stamp is by Chrissy Armstrong  from Whimsy STamps, she is coloued with promarkers. To finish off I've added some die cut filigree corners from Make it Crafty, some rolled ribbon roses and die cut leaves. The sentiment is from the same stamp set, its stamped on a creative acrylic tag.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges

Christmas Cards all year round: Non traditional Christmas colours

Craft your passion: anything goes plus distressing

Cupcake Craftroom: anything goes

52 Christmas Throwdown: anything goes

Incy Wincy: anything goes

Magical Monday: anything magical

Marianne Design Diva's : Its Christmas

My Craft Spot: winter wonderland

One Stop Craft Challenge: Winter wishes

Sentimental Sundays: anything goes

Sundays with Chrissy: Beat the winter blues (I hope my warm colours count) 

The Pink Elephant: anything goes

Thanks for visiting today. Make sure you pop over and check out my teamies blogs as they have made some stunning cards again. 

Claire xx

Dragon's Dream of Christmas

Hi there, I've been a bit quiet lately, I'm back at work and we've been so busy I don't seem to have a minute but I really wanted to dream along with Frankie and the lovely team at Dragon's Dream Tag it on so I sneaked a couple of hours in my craft room and had loads of inky fun making this tag for their latest challenge where the theme is 'Time Changer'

I was thinking about the 'Time changer' theme for this challenge when i remembered a funny story from years ago when I was nursing. We used to have a Christmas party every year for the staff and patients children and grandchildren - the usual party games, buffet and of course a visit from Santa. This particular year our usual 'Santa' was ill so we persuaded one of the male nurses to dress up in a Santa costume and give out the presents to the children. He wasn't a happy bunny about it and got his revenge by telling all the children that they were first on his list  and he'd be visiting their house at midnight so they could get up as early as they wanted on Christmas day!!!! It still makes me giggle as the children were so excited at being first on Santa's list and we couldn't very well say Santa was lying lol. Needless to say we didn't ask him to be Santa ever again LOL

Anyway back to my tag. I've used distress inks (Wild honey, Festive Berries and Aged Mahogony) for the background and stamped with a music stamp before flicking drops of water on the background. The cogs are from Chocolate Baroque Steampunk Christmas themeplate. I've used part of one of Tims' weathered clocks, embossed with black sparkly EP as a frame for my Santa (stamped with one of my favourite stamps from Crafty Secrets). The flower is also from Steampunk Christmas, embossed with black sparkle EP on some card inked with the same distress inks. I've added some Marianne die cuts foliage coloured with evergreen bough distress ink)  and some holly berries made with red stickles and glass glintz. Here's another pic to show the sparkle.

I'm entering this tag in the following challenges:

Crafty Emma's Challenge: traditional Christmas

Crafty Hazelnut's : Traditional Christmas

Crafty Ribbons: Traditional Colours for Christmas

Crazy 4 Challenges: Its Santa

Creative Belli: christmas or winter

Dragon's Dream Tag It On: Time Changer

Craft your Passion: Add a tag

I brake for challenges: I brake for vintage

Marianne Design Diva's : sparkle and shine

My Mum's Craft Shop: Traditional Christmas

OOh La La: Anything but a card

Pan Pastels: gift tags

Sugar Creek Hollow: Vintage Christmas Tags

Try it on Tuesday: Tags

Thanks for calling by today

Claire xx

For someone special.....

Hi there, today's card is for my hubby at Christmas, I always end up making his card at the very last minute so this year i was determined to get his card made in good time. I really struggle with cards for the menfolk in the family and had racked my brains for ages but finally took inspiration from new stamps. You can't beat the smell of lovely new rubber to get the creative juices flowing lol.

 I wanted to recreate a romantic winter scene with a couple arriving at a grand party on a frosty night (not that we'll be going to any grand parties unless my lottery numbers come up lol). 

The background is made using a swirly stamp from Stampers Anonymous stamped in black in to coated cardstock and inked lightly around the edges. I stamped the main image (from Joanna Sheen's Vintage car stamp set) and the castle (from Clarity Stamps) on some silk coated cardstock and masked both with eclipse masking tape. I brayered the sky using memento tuxedo black and stamped in the forest and inked in the snowy hills, road and a little shadow under the car with tuxedo black ink and a make up sponge. The car is coloured with promarkers

I then added lots and lots of Judikins glitter to give a real frosty sparkle. It doesn't show up too well in the first pic but you can see it a little better in this one

To finish off I've added some 'snow' with a white gel pen, added some white organza ribbon and a computer generated sentiment matted on a spellbinders die cut

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Artistic Stamper: Christmas

Bling it on: Its Christmas

Crafts and me: Winter snow/snowflakes

Crafty Calendar: Cold and frosty

Joanna Sheen Challenge: Christmas wishes

Let's ink it up: Christmas projects

Make my Monday: Seasonal glitter

Oldie but Goodie: Christmas no red or green (my Clarity tree stamps are my old stamps)

Passion for promarkers: Celebrations mega Christmas challenge

Sparkles Forum: the one you love at Christmas 

Sweet Stampin' Challenge: snow something

thanks for popping by

Claire xx