Amazing Hair at Graph'It Colouring Challenge

Good morning my lovelies, I've been a bit quiet on the blogging and commenting front again, soooooooo busy at work and it just keeps getting busier. Fingers crossed I'll be able to catch up at the weekend though. Today's card is my DT project for Graph'It Colouring Challenge where our theme is 'Amazing Hair'.  My teamies have got some amazing tips and techniques for colouring hair so make sure you pop over and have a look. You don't have to use Graph'It markers to enter and there's a fab prize of Graph'It goodies from those lovely folk at Premium Craft Brands for our lucky winner too.

I've used an image from 'A Day for Daisies', this is one of my favourites. Pop over to the challenge blog for a full list of colours used. I've kept the card fairly simple, creating a background with Graph'It markers and distress inks. The sentiment is from Chocolate Baroque.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Addicted to Stamps and More: colouring

Cards Galore Encore: make a card

Creative Craft Cottage: digi/things with wings

Divas by Design: anything goes

Glitter'n'Sparkle: use a digi

Incy Wincy: girly

Love to Scrap: lets fly away

Simon Says Stamp: make your own background

Well I'd better go and earn some pennies, have a great day and thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Guest Designer at Love to Create

Good afternoon folks, its a very exciting day for me today! I'm such a happy bunny to be joining the lovely talented team at Love to Create as Guest Designer! The theme for the challenge is 'flowers and stitching'  and there are two fabulous sponsors A Day for Daisies and Yours and Mine Papercrafts. I was lucky enough to be able to work with one of the gorgeous images from  A Day for Daisies and I chose 'Girl with wind in her hair', isn't she a beauty?

I had a lot of fun colouring the image with my Graph'It markers, I also used my markers to create the background. I don't often use markers for backgrounds but I really like the effect. Once I'd coloured her I had a bit of a panic as I wasn't sure which papers to use but I found these from Lili of the Valley which match perfectly. I've used tea dye distress ink to distress all the edges and kraft card for matting and layering.

I've added some flowers made using more of the papers, die cut with Heartfelt Creations dies, popping some little pearls in the centres. Now on to my stitching, I had some gorgeous tulle trim ages ago but it was really expensive so I decided to have a go and make my own. I got some pretty cream tulle, cut a strip and cut it into a fringe, snipping quite randomly. I stitched along the top and then gathered it up before attaching it to my card. The top was an awful mess but I covered it up with some seam binding ribbon topped with a pretty button and some twine.

To finish off I've added a little butterfly charm that I brushed with gesso and sprinkled with a little glamour dust.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

A Creative Romance: a touch of craft

A Day for Daisies: painterly effects

Stamping Sensations: things with wings

That's Crafty: girl power

The Ribbon Girl: add ribbon

Through the purple haze: anything goes

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

Christmas shepherds from Chocolate Baroque

Good morning my lovelies, I've got another Christmas card to share this morning before I rush off to work. This card was made using one of the gorgeous new releases from Chocolate Baroque. The new Christmas designs are just stunning, pop over and have a look at them all here.

I've used a dictionary page as my background and stamped the Shepherds with Memento Tuxedo Black ink. The holly was stamped and embossed with Gold embossing powder. I coloured the shepherds with Graph'It markers and added some white to the sheep with a gel pen. Its quite time consuming colouring on the text but I love the effect.

I've edged the page with a gold krylon pen, layered the page up one a brown card blank and tied a twine bow along the edge. I was lucky enough to find a dictionary page with 'Christmas' on so I took a red pen and circled the word as a fun sentiment

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Chocolate Coffee and Cards: Vintage
Completely Christmas: anything goes

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas: do you hear what I hear
Jingle Belles: Use gold
Paper Creators Crafts: Early Christmas
STAMPlorations: Stamps and markers

Thanks for visiting today

Claire xx

Fall splendour at Craft a Scene

Good afternoon folks, time for a new challenge at Craft a Scene and this month our theme is 'Fall Splendour' . The weather is definitely starting to change in my little corner of the country and I can just see the first signs of the leaves starting to change colour. I just love the colours of autumn and really enjoyed making this card.

I began by creating a background with PanPastels, the sky was created with turquoise tint PanPastel and I added a sun with Hansa Yellow Tint, the foreground was coloured with a little Yellow Green Shade.

All the stamps used are from Lavinia stamps, I used lots of masking to create my little scene and stamped the images with Memento Rich Cocoa ink. I stamped the leaves and the foliage on the trees with Memento Ink in Bamboo Leaves, Rhubarb Stalk, Tangelo and Canteloupe

I added some colour to the images with Inktense pencils and used my Graph'It silver shake pen to give the wings some sparkle.. The sentiment is also from Lavinia Stamps, stamped with versamark and embossed with gold WOW Embossing powder.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges

A Little Bit Crafty: distress it

Artistic Stamper: autumn colours

Bearly Mine: autumnal colours

Delicious Doodles: colours of Autumn

Hiding in my Craft Room: think fall

Natalie and Amy's: things with wings

Red Rubber Inspirationals: Favourite stamping technique (masking)

Sweet Stampin: The great outdoors

Its well worth a visit to the challenge blog as my teamies have created some gorgeous scenes to inspire you. Thanks so much for visiting today

Claire xx

Frame it at PanPastel UK

Good morning folks, its time for a new challenge at PanPastel UK and this time around our theme is 'Frame it', you don't have to make or alter a frame, you can frame something on your project instead. Our lucky winner will get a gorgeous mask and a PanPastel from our generous sponsors Premium Craft Brands so I do hope you're going to play along with us.

I've altered a plastic frame from the local pound shop. I began with a coat of Maimeri White Gesso and once that was dry I added some colour with my PanPastels (Ultramarine Blue Tint, Permanent Green Tint, Turquoise Tint and a little Yellow Green). I sealed with cheap hairspray and then dabbed some versamark here and there and applied silver PanPastel to highlight the frame. Its got a lovely shimmer in real life but it doesn't show up too well in the pics.

I've used a layer of Kroma crackle over PanPastels on the background, sealed with Maimeri Matt Gel and sprinkled with glamour dust. The focal image is a stamp called Rocking Robin from Indigo Blu. I've stamped it on a PanPastel background and gilded the image and then stamped again and layered the robin up on 3d foam pads.

 Here's a better pic of the gorgeous Robin, he's been coloured with Graph'It markers

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

ABC: S is for shabby chic

Crafty Hazelnuts' Christmas extra: anything Christmas

Live and Love Crafts: things with wings

Natalie and Amy's: things with wings

Simon Says Stamp: Stamping

Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge: be bold

Simply Create Too: show us something new (new stamp)

Southern Girls: winter blues

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

Claire xx

Silver	Permanent Green Tint	Ultramarine Blue Tint	Turquoise Tint	Bright yellow green
Matt Gel	white Gesso

Fashion at Fashionable Stamping Challenges

Hi there folks, my first of three posts today as there are lots of fab new challenges starting. This card is my DT project for Fashionable Stamping Challenges where our theme is 'Fashion'. As always our lucky winner will receive a voucher from our generous sponsor Flonzcraft so you don't want to miss out on your chance to win. We are a stamping challenge though so make sure you make stamping the focus of your project, no digistamps allowed! 

I've used one of my favourite stamps from Flonzcraft for this card, I love these two elegant ladies. I've added colour with Graph'it markers and paper pieced the pink dress. The image has been die cut with spellbinders die and inked with Tattered Rose and Spun sugar distress inks. I've layered it up over a backing paper from Craftwork cards. The large background was made with an old sewing pattern from my stash, over stamped with a damask background stamp from Chocolate Baroque and pink acrylic paint. It doesn't show up very well in the photo but you can see it a bit better here

I've used some button and bobbin die cuts with a bit of thread. The buttons have been embossed with frantage powder in pink. I've added faux stitching, some ribbon, sparkly brads and some paper flowers from my stash to finish off. 

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

4 Crafty Chicks: sewing real or faux

Chocolate Coffee and Cards: vintage

Dream Valley: flowers

In the pink: button and bows

Moving along with the times: shaped cards

Sweet Pea Stampers: lots of layers

If you've got a minute pop over to the challenge blog as my DT sisters have created some gorgeous projects as always. Thanks for popping by, hope to see you again soon

Claire xx

Something Feminine at We do Doobadoo

Good morning folks, its a bit of a grey start to the weekend but that's a good excuse to leave the gardening and play in my craft room lol. My project this morning is a fun little wall hanging for our brand new challenge at We Do Doobadoo where our theme is Something 'Feminine'. You don't have to use Dutch Doobadoo products to play along and of course if you're our lucky winner you'll receive some gorgeous goodies to play with. If you can't wait for that though, here's a link to Dutch Doobadoo stockists in the UK

I've used one of the fab Shape Art Templates and grey board to create my base and used the same template to cut out the backing paper and the mats for the sentiment.

The image, sentiment, paper bows and papers are from the Polkadoodles Work and Play 6 collection, the image has been coloured with Graph'It markers and the papers have been distressed with Spun Sugar and Tea Dye distress inks. 

I've added some Laser Art Buttons and Kraft Stars, both embossed with frantage EPs. To finish of I made a little 'feather duster' using an olive stick painted with acrylic paint. I stuck some feathers to the top and added some pink braid to the top and a sparkly bead to the bottom. OMG you should have seen me by the time I'd finished, feathers everywhere lol.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

A Little Bit Crafty: distress it

Aud Sentiments: any sentiment other than birthday

Crafting by Designs: anything goes

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper: anything goes

Hobbybook designer challenge: Girly

In the Pink: buttons and bows

Paper Shelter: Stars/hearts

Wag'n'Whiskers: for the girls

Have a great day and thanks for popping by today

Claire xx

Tag You're It at Polkadoodles

Hi there, I'm late on parade today with my post for our 'Tag You're it post' at Polkadoodles  as pesky blogger seems to pick and choose when it posts my scheduled posts lol. Still better late than never, we've got a fab new challenge starting and lots of news over on the Polkadoodles blog so make sure you pop over and check it out. Don't forget to check out our facebook group too as we're having a celebration and you don't want to miss out! Nikky Hall is on C&C on Sunday afternoon at 3pm too with a gorgeous new collection so make sure you book your place on the sofa.
You don't have to make a tag for the challenge, as long as your project has a tag on it that will do nicely. Of course there's a fab prize for our lucky winner.

I've made a background using distress stains in Faded Jeans and Aged Mahogany and used one of the gorgeous new chalkboard stamps, I love this one it really makes me smile. I've stamped it on coated card for a really crisp image and then torn around the edge before using a gold Krylon pen around the edges. The flowers are all made from the flowers on the Dollie Goes East Cd and I've added some Berry Red Doodle Dew Drops to the centres. To finish off I've added some coordinating seam binding ribbon and a few more dew drops here and there.

I'm entering this tag in the following challenges:

4 Crafty Girlz: Anything goes

Creative Card Crew: Chalkboard

Divas by Design: tags
Penny's Paper Crafty: anything goes
Simon Says Stamp: stamping

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

And a partridge in a pear tree from Chocolate Baroque

Good morning folks, I'm back with another card for the Christmas box. It's September already and the way this year is whizzing by it will be Christmas before we know it. This card was made using stamps from Chocolate Baroque, this set is called 'Turtle Doves'.

All the gorgeous new Christmas stamps have really got my Christmas crafting off to a good start. This card features another distress ink background.  The image has been stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black and coloured with Graph'It Markers. I've added some glossy accents to the pears and matted the image on some green card distressed with a craft knife. I've added the two birds (gold embossed on green card) and one of the lovely sentiments from Christmas Magic

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Allsorts: Early Christmas makes

Aud Sentiments: any sentiment other than birthday

Christmas Card Challenges: anything goes

Completely Christmas: anything goes

Jingle Belles: use gold

Penny's Paper Crafty: Christmas or children

Sweet Stampin: Embossing

I'd better get my skates on and go earn some pennies, have a great day and a big thank you for visiting today.

Claire xx

Anything goes at Vintage Stamping Challenges

Hi, can you believe its September already? I think I must have blinked and missed August lol. Anyway September is here so its time for our new challenge at Vintage Stamping Challenges and this month its a nice easy one, 'Anything Goes'. You don't have to create a vintage project to enter but you do have to ink up those stamps, no digistamps allowed. There's a Flonzcraft voucher up for grabs for our lucky winner so pop over and find out all the details.

For my DT card I've used one of the lovely Gibson girls stamps from Flonzcraft, I've coloured her with Graph'It markers, die cut her with spellbinders labels 4 and inked around the edges with Spun Sugar distress ink before adding some faux stitching.

The bp is from Craftwork cards, distressed with a craft knife and Spun Sugar DI with some faux stitching around the edges. I've added some pink lace, black ribbon and some pretty black sequin trim. I've also added some die cut swirls and some flowers made from another bp die cut with Heartfelt Creations die. I've inked the edges with black soot distress ink and popped some card candi in the centres. To finish off i've stamped the sentiment (from Chocolate Baroque) with black ink, its always a bit scary when you stamp the sentiment on last isn't it? 

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Crafting at the weekend: anything goes

Crafty ribbons: birthday with ribbon

Creative Corner: anything goes

Paper pretties: birthday

Simon Says Stamp: anything goes

Treasured Times: anything goes

Thanks for visiting today, hope to see you again soon

Claire xx

Include a 4 Legged Animal at Craft a Scene

Hi i'm back with my second post of the day, this is my DT card for Craft a Scene where if you're really quick you can still enter our 'Include a 4 Legged Animal' challenge.

I've used a gorgeous cottage stamp from Chocolate Baroque, surrounded by trees from Clarity. The deer in the foreground are stamps from Sheena Douglass. I've coloured with Distress Markers and added some WOW 'Sparkling snow' embossing powder to give an icy sparkle here and there.

I masked the moon and inked in the sky using distress inks in Faded Jeans, Stormy Skies and Chipped Sapphire. To finish off I've stamped the sentiment (from Chocolate Baroque) and embossed with WOW Gold EP and added some snow with a White Graph'It shake pen.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges

 Allsorts: Early Christmas makes

Christmas Stamping all year long: anything goes

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Extra: anything goes

Crafty Sentiments: animals

Fussy and Fancy: pets/animals

Jingle Belles: use gold

Penny's paper crafty: Christmas or children

Thanks so much for visiting today
Claire xx

In the pink at PanPastel UK

Good morning folks, its time for some inspiration for our 'Pink Pink and more Pink' challenge at PanPastel UK, you've still got a week to enter to be in with a chance to win some fab stash thanks to our generous sponsors Premium Craft Brands and of course you don't have to use PanPastels to enter. I've altered a little bird house for my inspiration project.

I began with a coat of Maimeri White Gesso and then once that was dry I coloured with base with Permanent Red Tint PanPastel. I used the lovely Spirograph stencil with Maimeri Light Modelling Paste  to add some texture, the LMP dries really quickly so it only takes 10-15 mins to dry. Next came more Permanent Red Tint and a little Light Gold PanPastel.

The stamps are all from Chocolate Baroque, some old favourites! I stamped them on tissue paper with black archival ink and added some colour with Permanent Red PanPastel and then cut them out and stuck them on with Maimeri Gel medium.

I added a little black PanPastel around the edges. I used a Sizzix die cut for the trim on the roof, cut from black card and coloured with Light Gold PanPastel and topped with some iridescent bead trim. I cut down the offcuts from the roof and used them to surround a glass cabochon for the little hole in the bird house. To finish off I've added some black lace around the bottom edge.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

4 Crafty Chicks: something old something new (new die, old stamps)

Crafters Cafe: punches/dies

Frosted Designs Friday challenge: stamping

Left of Centre: alter it

Simon Says Stamp: anything goes

STAMPlorations: Stamps and die cuts

Through the Purple Haze: anything goes

If you've got a minute, pop over to the challenge blog and check out my teamies gorgeous projects!

Thanks so much for visiting today, have a lovely Sunday

Claire xx

Permanent Red Tint	Gesso	Matt Gel	Light Gold PanPastel	Light Modeling Paste
Black	Doily Mask

Honeysuckle Butterfly from Chocolate Baroque

Good morning my lovelies, well it looks like summer is back with us with lovely blue sky and sunshine. I'm just going to take the dogs to the park and make the most of the weather but before I go I just wanted to share this card made with the beautiful image from Honeysuckle Butterfly, one of the new releases from Chocolate Baroque (you can find all the new stamps here)

card features this lovely image stamped with Memeno Tuxedo Black ink and coloured with pencils. I've die cut the bottom of the card and dusted around the edges with Picked Raspberry Distress ink.

The background was made by simply applying distress inks (Picked Raspberry, Wild Honey and Ripe Persimmon) to my craft mat, misting with water and swooshing my card though the ink. To finish off I've added a hot pink bow and a pretty button from my stash. 

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Brown Sugar: anything goes

Card mania: butterflies and bows

Creative Knockouts: whimsical wings

Frilly and Funkie: summer garden

Simon Says Stamp: Anything goes

Sister Act: anything goes

Tuesday Throwdown: anything goes

Thanks for visiting today, hope to see you again soon

Claire xx

Christmas Cheer at Polkadoodles

Morning folks, Friday at last and the weekend is nearly here which means it's Polkadoodles Day lol. My card this morning is for our inspiration post at Polkadoodles for our theme is 'Get Organised for Christmas' so a great opportunity to get ahead with your Christmas cards.

I haven't used a Christmas cd for my DT project, I was having so much fun colouring the images from Work and Play 6 that I decided to make a fun Christmas card with the cute little barman image. Its so hard to make Christmas cards for young men, my son and his friends are a real headache to make cards for but they all looooooove beer so I thought a pint of Christmas cheer would make them smile lol.

It was a quick and easy card to make, the beer glass is one of the precoloured embellies on the Cd but they are such good quality you can print them out really big and they still look fab.  I layered the beer up on folded brown card and cut it out carefully not cutting the top to keep the fold. I added some pva glue and clear microbeads for some froth on top of the pint.

I coloured the image with Graph'It markers and layered it up on brown cardstock, added some Christmassy trim from my stash for tinsel and all that was left was to die cut some letters, colour them up with my Graph'Its and emboss them before popping them on the card.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

ABC Christmas: quick and easy

Aud Sentiments: any sentiment other than birthday

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas: merry and bright

Crafty Girls: anything goes

Hiding in my craft room: any holiday

Penny's Paper Crafty: Christmas or children

Top Tip Tuesday: anything goes

Well i'd better go and get ready for work, have a great day and thanks for popping by
Claire xx

Madeleine

Good morning my lovelies, yippeeeee its a Bank Holiday here in the UK so I've got an extra day off work to play! This card was made using the beautiful Madeleine stencil from Clarity and a shaving foam background. I haven't used that technique for ages but saw Barbara Gray using it and was inspired to have a play, you can't beat a bit of messy fun lol

I embossed the stencil through my Grand Calibur and then set to colouring with my Graph'It markers before cutting her out.

The background is from a batch of shaving foam backgrounds I made a few weeks ago and done a wee bit more inking and then added a little bow and some paper flowers.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

ArtbyMiran: anything goes

Clarity Stamp Challenge: feminine

Clear it out: anything goes

Crafters Cafe: square cards

Creative Corner: girly

Little Miss Muffet: anything goes

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

Claire xx