Gift Time at PanPastel UK

Hello I'm back again with my second post of the day, and this time its my DT project for PanPastel UK where our theme is 'Gift Time', as always there's a fab PanPastel starter set to be won thanks to our generous sponsor Berni from Your Creativity Store.

I've made a gift box using an empty Malteser box, why is it that maltesers always taste better from a box than they do in a bag?  For this project I've used PanPastels and the fab Maimeri mediums from Your Creativity Store. I began by giving the box a coat of  Maimeri white gesso and then applied Maimeri Light Modelling Paste using a Crafters Workshop steampunk template on the front of the box. Once that was dry I applied PanPastels in Neutral Grey, Paynes Grey, Raw Umber and Burnt Sienna, before brushing over with mica powders for a metallic effect. I've added spellbinders lattice corners coloured with black and paynes grey PanPastels to the corners.

I've used an Idea-ology hitch fastener to close the box, bottlecaps painted with silver acrylic paint for the  feet and an Ornate Plate on the front, the 'Journey' stamp is from Chocolate Baroque. I found a box of steampunky looking 'thingamjigs' in the shed a couple of weeks ago so I've popped on on top of the box. I was really chuffed with it until I realised that it was so heavy it made the whole thing tip over, eeeeeeek!!! Anyway after a bit of a panic, I added a nestie labels 4 die cut under the feet and phew it stands up again!

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Anything but a card challenge: anything but a card

Crafty Catz: Recycle/Upcycle

Little Miss Muffet: Tags or gifts

Tuesday Alchemy: anything goes

Thanks for visiting today and for your kind comments

Claire xx

To die for at FSC

Hello there, I'm still in Christmas mode with my project for our new challenge at Fashionable Stamping Challenges where our theme is 'To die for', chosen by the lovely Joanna so get out your dies and punches and add some rubber stamping and join in to be in with the chance of a gift voucher from our regular sponsor Marina at Cottage Crafts.  I didn't know what to make for this challenge, but I was inspired by my talented teamie Fliss who created this wonderful Christmas decoration.

I've used spellbinders for the red die cuts and added kraft card along with backing papers from the Molly Bloom Christmas Carnival magazine., they've all been distress with antique linen distress ink and my kraft knife (as was my thumb ouch!), I've also added some faux stitching with a walnut promarker. The stamps are from the same collection, coloured I stamped the little boy and masked him to stamp in the stocking and then coloured the image with promarkers. The ribbon, raffia are from my stash and the buttons are also from the same kit.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Decorate to Celebrate: Holiday party

Eureka Stamps: holiday fun

I love promarkers: anything goes

One Stop Crafts: Christmas for the boys

Passion for Promarkers: distressing

Pixie Dust Studio: Winter holiday

Simon Says Stamp: anything goes

Totally Papercrafts: anything Christmassy but a card

Christmas at No Matter Which

Hello and happy Saturday :-) My project today is for our new challenge at No Matter Which Challenges where our theme is Christmas, nice and easy this month, just remember that you need to use a stamped image (rubber or digi) to enter. 

This month there is a great prize up for grabs from our generous sponsor 'Kitty Lane' so do check out the challenge blog for all the details

For my card I've used kraft card for matting and layering and a bp from GCD Studios. The focal image is 'Snow Bird' by Stampendous, I love this little chap, he's so cute. I've coloured him with distress markers and used cosmic shimmer glue and glamour dust for the frost on the branch and berries. You can see him a bit better in this pic.

I've layered him up over some red embossed card and some more kraft and added a filigree corner,  some burlap (both from the Funkie Junkie Boutique) and red gingham ribbom. The sentiment is a Whimsy stamp, that has a lovely little postage stamp die. To finish off  I've made some tattered pine cones and added some little red berries, all with a frosting of glamour dust. 

I'm entering thid card in the following challenges:

Crafts and Me: Ribbon or trim

Crafty Bloggers Network: Christmas anythng goes

Crafty Boots: Anything goes

Fussy and Fancy: I love Christmas

Jingle Belles: Anything goes (Christmas)

Lexi's Creations: Christmas

Stamptacular Sunday: winter bliss

Stempel sonne: anything goes with a stamp

There's Magic in the air: sparkle

I love Saturday nights, sitting on the sofa watching Strictly and Merlin with perhaps a wee glass of  brandy to keep the cold out and a chocolate to too to go with it.

Thanks for popping by, if you've got a minute do pop over and have a look at the gorgeous projects my lovely teamies have made

Claire xx

Special offers at Chocolate Baroque

Hi there, oh dear Mr Blogger has not been my friend this week, I haven't been able to add pics as its telling me I'm over my storage limit when I'm not grrrrrrr. I wanted to share some exciting news, Glenda over at Chocolate Baroque always has some fab special offers on new stamps but she has decided to have a special offer on one of the older stamps too! This week's offer is on the Christmas script series of stamps, have a look here as they are gorgeous!

I've coloured the large stamp from Mistletoe Script with Derwent Inktense pencils, adding lots of shadow around the leaves to give them some depth and die cut with nesties before distressing with Iced Spruce distress ink, I really love this colour, its one of my favourite distress colours. The background was made with iced spruce and peeled paint distress inks using the spritz and flick technique, overstamped with the smaller mistletoe stamp. I've added a little silver charm, some white organza ribbon and some tiny faux pearls made with my viva pearl pen.

i'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Addicted to Stamps: Christmas

Crafts and Me: ribbon or trim

Crafty Boots: anything goes

Crazy for Challenges: put a bow on it

Our Daily Bread: winter holiday

Papercraft Star: holiday greenery

If you get a minute have a peek at the rest of the stamp in the collection over at Chocolate Baroque.

Thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Better be quick ....

Don't miss out on the chance to win a fab array of crafty goodies from the lovely Donna, you'll have to be quick though as there are only a few more days to enter. Pop over to Donna's blog here and find out all about it. If you're in the UK, Donna also has a brand spanking new Epson printer up for grabs!

Claire xx

Two roads

Good morning, my card share today features the new clear stamps from Chcolate Baroque,  Terrific Treescapes,  I've partnered them with stamps from Woodland Dreams   and PanPastels to create a misty Autumn scene.

I've had this card in my head for a long while and these new stamps were just perfect to create it. The sentiment from Woodland dreams was the inspiration for the card, unfortunately its a little blurred in the photo but it reads 'Two roads diverges in a wood, and I, I took the one less travelled by'. 

It can get a bit tricky making quite complicated scenes using a brayer but its so easy with PanPastels. I  used a torn paper mask for the hills at the back of the scene and also a mask for the sun but apart from that I just used the Sofft tools to create the scene with shades of green and brown PanPastel. I stamped the trees with Memento inks. The little bird is also from  Woodland Dreams, coloured with distress markers. I've used brown card for matting and layering and one of the Guild papers in the background.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Crazy Challenge: Autumn colours

Creative Card Crew: anything goes

Heck of a challenge: shades of Autumn

LEJ Designs: Favourite technique (making scenes)

Thanks for popping by today

Claire xx

A spring wedding ...

Good morning, hasn't the weather been awful this weekend? We seem to have had so many grey days lately I thought this card would be a little reminder of Spring sunshine. I've used the fab new clear stamps from Chocolate Baroque 'Terrific Treescapes' with a lovely little church stamp from Sunburst Scenes

I began by stamping the church image in the foreground and then adding the trees to create the scene. I stamped the images in black archival ink. I've used distress markers to colour the scene and then used Tumbled glass distress ink for the sky.

I die cut the image using a circular die and layered it up over a little doily. I used a backing paper from one of the Guild paper packs and layered a larger doily over that. The flowers are from my stash and the leaves have been cut with crealies dies. I've added some green ribbon and  a little pearl buckle to finish off.

I'm entering this in the following challenges:

Crafts and Me: Circles

Deep Ocean: pastel colours

Joanna Sheen Challenge: anything goes except Christmas

Oldie but goodie: anything but Christmas (my 'oldies' are flowers, doilys and backing paper)

Papertake Weekly: ribbon and pearls

Pile it on: anything but a Christmas card

Polka Doodles: Any die will do

Shoppin our Stash: leaf/leaves

Sweet Stampin: flowers

Well for a pleasant change I'm not rushing out to work this morning as i've got a few days annual leave. Isn't it bliss to be able to potter around and relax instead of rushing round like headless chicken. Hopefully today will be a bit drier than it has been, if not I'll have to find my wellies as the park was like a mudbath yesterday when I took the dogs. I hate getting my wellies out for the winter, I always think there'll be a ginormous spider hiding in one lol

Thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Frosty and Bright at PanPastel UK

Good morning all, Sunday morning so we've got another challenge at PanPastel UK for you. This week our theme is 'Frosty and Bright' and I've combined PanPastels with the fabby new Maimeri mediums available from Your Creativity Store. Apologies in advance for the decidedly dodgy photos, we don't seem to have seen daylight for weeks lol.

I've layered up assorted die cuts on my canvas, using Maimeri Matt gel to adhere them and then giving the whole thing s coat of Maimeri gesso. Once dry, i've used while, ultramarine blue and tint and some Raw Umber for a little shaddow. To add more texture I've used a couple of Crafters Workshop templates, the snowflake frame with Maimeri modelling paste and the mini mosaic with Maimeri iridescent medium (love love love this stuff!!!) Next came lots of rock candy glitter, faus pearls and some red acrylic paint applied in dots with the end of a paint brush. 

I stamped the focal image, Stampendous 'Snow Bird' on to the canvas with sepia versafine and also on some water colour paper. I coloured the image with distress markers and then cut out the bird and berries and popped them on to the canvas. I added white glue and glamour dust for some frosty sparkle

The sentiment is a clarity stamp, stamped on tissue paper and applied with more Maimeri Matt Gel

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Crafty Creations: christmas is coming

Delicious Doodles: Something that flies

Fussy and Fancy: feeling blue 

Just keep on creating: Christmas

Little Claire's : Christmas

Sparkles Forum Christmas Challenge: contemporary colours

Tanda Stamps: Christmas

As always our lucky winner will receive a fabby prize of a PanPastel Starter courtesy of the lovely Berni from Your Creativity Store

I hope you're enjoying your weekend, I've got a few days off work lined up and loads of jobs that I should be doing. I say should as its very tempting to spend the day in my craft room lol.

thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Birds or Animals at Crafty Ann's

Good morning folks, where did the last two weeks go? I think I must be getting old as time is really flying this year. Anyway as its Friday its time for a new challenge at Crafty Ann's and this time our theme is 'Birds or Animals'. Our lucky winner will as always receive a fab prize from Crafty Ann's Digi Shop but as Ann has some fabulous special offers on at the minute everyone can grab a bargain!! Do pop over and have a look, as Crafty Ann's digi kits are all less than a pound! What a bargain as they are crammed full of papers and images. While you're having a look, don't forget to check out the freebies page too :-)

Anyway back to my card, i've used Crafty Ann's gorgeous squirrel image, coloured with derwent inktense pencils and die cut with nesties. The backing papers are from Crafty Ann's polished stone collection and the Cream Dream collection. I've made the flower from recycled tissue paper coloured with distress inks and die cut with tattered forals. I've used kraft cardstock for matting and layering and added ribbon, button and twine from my stash. The sentiment is from Chocolate Baroque.

I'm entering this one in the following challenges:

Craft Room challenge: Die cuts/punches

Created with love: Fall 

Hannah and Friends: Animals

Incy Wincy: Square cards

Oldie but Goodie : Anything but Christmas

(my oldies are ribbon, button and sentiment stamp)

Ribbon Carousel: Fall/give thanks

Whoopsi Daisy: die cuts/ punches

thanks for visiting today

Claire xx

Through the window

Good morning, my project today is an altered Graze box, as soon as I received this box my first thought was that it would be perfect to make a little window scene (typical crafter lol) and the new Terrific Treescapes clear stamps from Chocolate Baroque are just the job for creating a  winter scene for my project. I've combined the new stamps with some of my favourite stamps from Christmas Creatures and Home Sweet Home.

The box is painted with acrylic paint . I've coloured the images with promarkers and masked the images to create the background and the snowy sky. I've used Broken China and Chipped Sapphire distress inks for the sky and added snowflakes with a white gel pen.

Here'a pic of the inside with lots of glitter and an icicle border along the top of the 'window'

And here's a pic of the window scene:

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

The Crazy Challenge: decorate the inside of your card

Fashionista Challenge: Blue Christmas

Fussy and Fancy: feeling blue

LEJ Designs: alter it

Victorine Originals: Christmas

Stamping Sensations: Traditional Christmas

As usual I'm dashing off to work but I don't mind so much today as we're celebrating our 30th birthday party (well work is not me, I'm a teensy bit older than that lol) so we're having a party this afternoon with balloons and bunting and a yummy buffet. 

Thanks for popping by today

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

A winter scene

Hi there, todays card is a frosty winter scene created with PanPastels and the fab new clear stamps 'Terrific Treescapes' from Chocolate Baroque. I love these stamps, they are so detailed and as they are clear you can see exactly where you are stamping.

I've used PanPastels to create my scene, I've used shades of grey, ultramarine blue tine and a little red tint and diarylide yellow tint for the clouds. I didn't use masking for the hills but just sketched in the hills with a sofft knife tool and then stamped the trees using Memento Tuxedo black ink, adding a litle grey for shadows.

I've simply matted the scene in red, white and then black card. 

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Craft a Scene: Troubled Skies

Joanna Sheen Challenge: Cold and Frosty

My Mum's Craft Shop: winter wonderland

Totally Gorjuss: Plain and Simple 

Totally Papercrafts: CAS/Black and White

Thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Red and Green at PanPastel UK

Hi again, my second post of the day and this time its my DT project for PanPastel UK where our theme is 'Red and Green' so of course that's a perfect excuse to make another Christmas card. 

I've used permanent red PanPastel and Bright Yellow Green shade to create the background for this card, I've overstamped with a gorgeous background stamp from Chocolate Baroque using flitterglu and gold gilding flakes. For some reason I really struggle with gilding flakes grrrrrrrr. I've layered the background on kraft card and used kraft for the focal image (also from Chocolate Baroque)

The image is stamped with versamark and embossed with WOW gold EP and coloured with PanPastels. The poinsettia has also been decoupaged.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Card Mania: embossing

Crafty Bloggers: Christmas anything goes

Divas by Design: Anything goes

Happy Campers: Bright colours

Moving along with the times:  Seeing Stars

Papertake Weekly: flower power

There she goes: Let it snow

Don't forget to pop over and see my teamies beautiful projects for this weeks challenge, as always they've got lots of inspiration for you and you won't want to miss out on the fab prize for our lucky winner! Berni from Your creativity store will be sending one lucky crafter a PanPastel starter set!!

thanks for visiting today, 

Claire xx

Home Sweet Home at FSC

Hello friends :-) I hope you're having a good weekend. I'm sharing another Christmas card, this time my DT project for Fashionable Stamping Challenges where our theme of 'Home Sweet Home' has been chosen by the lovely Yvonne. As always our generous sponsor Marina from Cottage Crafts has a voucher up for grabs for our lucky winner so you won't want to miss out. Don't forget though, we're a rubber stamping challenge so no digi stamps allowed. Do pop over and have a look at the gorgeous artwork my DT sisters have created to inspire you this time, as always they are a-ma-zing!!

This challenge was the perfect excuse to get out one of my all time favourite stamp sets, New England Winter from Chocolate Baroque. I stamped the image and masked it so that i could create the background using black PanPastel which I fixed with a blast of cheapie hairspray. I added the 'snow' with a white gel pen and die cut the image nesties

The image is coloured with promarkers and has lots of glamour dust for snow and glossy accents to give the tree lights some definition. You can see the focal image a bit better here

The sentiment is from Whimsy Stamps and the background is made using Chocolate Baroque snowflake stamps. To finish off i've added some lace, red organza ribbon, black velvet ribbon and a little silver Christmas tree charm

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

4 Crafty Chicks: Winter

Bunny Zoe's Crafts: Winter

Crafty Sentiments: Christmas

Fun with shapes and more: the first snow

Holly Jolly Christmas: inspired by a carol (Let it snow)

I love promarkers: Christmas trees

Its all about the vintage: Snow

LEJ Designs: Seasons Greetings

My Mum's Craft Shop: Winter wonderland

QKR Stampede: Winter wonderland

Well thats another one for the Christmas box, eeeeek its not long until Christmas now! Barney our lab puppy is now 5 months old and absolutely full of mischief, I can see him having some adventures with our Christmas tree lol. 

Have a lovely Sunday

Claire xx

A Christmas pin

Good morning, its a really horrible grey damp day here today so I'm going to stay in and get on with some more Christmas cards but before I settle down to some crafting I thought I'd share a little Christmas pin I made using beads from my stash and stamps from Chocolate Baroque's themeplates Pears and Baubles and The Gift of Christmas.

The snowflakes and trees were stamped in brilliance ink and dusted with mica powder on shrink plastic, I punched holes with my crop-o-dile before shrinking them and then added tiny dots of stickles for some sparkle. Its not a very good photo so the sparkle doesn't show up too well.

I'm entering this in the following challenges:

Allsorts:Its a gift

Crafty Catz: let's have sparkle

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge: Something more than 6 months old 

(beads and shrink plastic)

Sweet Pea Stampers: gifts

I hope you're enjoying your weekend so far. 

Thanks for popping by today

Claire xx