Christmas at We Do Doobadoo

Good morning folks, its a horrible rainy morning here today perfect for catching up on some crafting. We're feeling all Christmassy over at We Do Doobadoo this time so pop on over to the challenge blog and check out all the details as there's a fab prize for our lucky winner and loads of inspiration from my teamies too!

I've used a LOTV stamp for my Christmas card, she's been coloured with distress inks and glittered.

I've made the background with PanPastels and the Dutch Doobadoo A5 stars stencil, once I'd added the colour I applied Maimeri Glassy Gel and removed the stencil before sprinkling clear glitter over the top. It does take a while to dry but the glassy gel gives the background loads  of dimension. I've used kraft card to mat and layer the image and the background after distressing the edges and added some pompom trim, seambinding ribbon, a button and some twine. The sentiment is from Whimsy Stamps, I love these postage stamp sentiments and the matching die! I've used some of the fab Dutch Doobadoo Kraft Stars, I've coloured the white side with Hansa Yellow PanPastel and again applied Maimeri Glassy Gel and some glitter.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Anything goes with a twist: Anything goes

Christmas Cards all year round: embellish it

Crafters Cafe: punches/dies

Crafty Hazelnuts' Christmas Extra: anything Christmas

Eclectic Ellapu: Texture paste/embossing

Left of Center: 3 or more layers

Lili of the Valley Monthly Challenge: anything goes

Sisterhood of Crafters: lots of layers

Sparkles Forum Christmas: for a child

Whimsy Inspiration: anything goes

Thanks so much for visiting today, have a lovely weekend

Claire xx

Stars

A5 Stars Stencil

Hansa Yellow

Glassy Gel

Anything but a square at Polkadoodles

Good morning my lovelies,a very quick post from me as I've got an early start at work today. Its  time for a new challenge over at Polkadoodles and as always there's a fab prize for our lucky winner and of course lots of inspiration from my talented teamies too.

I've used the adorable Ballerina image from Work and Play 2, she's also available as a digital stamp too (you can find her here). I've coloured her with PanPastels and used some of the gorgeous papers and ephemera from the Rose Budd Collection. The sentiment is also from Work and Play 2 and I've added some little Laser Art corners from Dutch Doobadoo.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Crafting wit Dragonflies: anything goes

Crafty Ribbons: anything goes with buttons and ribbon

Creative knockouts: lace/ribbon

Deep Ocean: at least one flower

My Heart Pieces: buttons/ribbon

Paradise of Stamps: girly

The Crafting Cafe: think pink 

Thank so much for popping by, have a great day and see you soon

Claire xx

Colour Challenge at Chocolate Baroque

Good morning folks, today's card is my DT project for our colour challenge at Chocolate Baroque Challenge, our inspiration this month is from a gorgeous piece of artwork by Lesley and as always my teamies have created some stunning inspirational projects. There's a fab prize for our lucky winner and of course Top 3 honours up for grabs too.

I've done a tutorial over on the challenge blog for this quick and easy card made using Terrific Treescapes clear stamps and distress inks so if you've got a minute it would be lovely if you'd pop over and have a look.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Crafting when we can: no Designer papers

Daring Cardmakers: autumnal forest

Penny Black and more: autumn colours

Red Rubber Inspirationals: focus on stamping

Shopping our Stash: sunshine on a cloudy day

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

Claire xx

Fall Splendour at Craft a Scene

Hi there, my second post of the day with a card for our Fall Splendour challenge at Craft a Scene. You've only got a few days left to enter so you'd better be quick. There's loads of inspiration from my lovely teamies over on the challenge blog so if you're stuck for ideas pop over and have mosey round.

I've used distress inks and stamps from Sheena Douglass to create this card. I tore a sheet of copier paper to make a mask for my landscape and added lots of rich yellows and oranges to create the sky and some halloweeny purples for the hills. I inked around the edges with black ink and then got busy stamping. I used memento tuxedo black in for all the foliage and the fences but for some real Autumn Splendour I stamped the tree in versamark and embossed with Japanese Laquer EP from Sparkle'n'Sprinkly, its a gorgeous red/black colour in real life.

I've added a little owl charm, a seam binding bow and a paper flower to finish off.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Creative Knockouts: charming

Daring Cardmakers: autumnal forest

Kitty Bee Designs: fall colours

Paper Creators Crafts: use a charm

Sister Act: anything goes

Thanks for popping by, have a great day
Claire xx

Embossing Inspiration at PanPastel UK

Good morning folks, hope you're having a fab weekend. I've been a busy bee so far but I'm hoping to have a lazy day today. My project this morning is for PanPastel UK, its the second week of our 'Embossing' Challenge so you've still got another week to play along to be in with a chance of winning some gorgeous goodies from Premium Craft Brands.

I've made a little gift box using a template from a Dreamees Cd. I've used the gorgeous A4 leaves stencil to emboss the panels used to decorate the box and added colour with Light Gold, Rich Gold, Copper and Bronze PanPastels along with some of my favourite Bright Yellow Green Shade. The sentiment and butterfly stamps are from the Postcard A5 Stamp set

I've used black card as my base, it gives a gorgeous rich colour with the PanPastels. I've embossed the sentiment in gold ep and added some gold PanPastel around the torn edges. The butterfly was stamped in versamark and coloured with shades of the metallic PanPastels and cut out.

I've also used my metallic pans to colour the flowers and added some ribbon from my stash to finish off.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Crafting for all seasons: Shades of Autumn

Crazy 4 Challenges: leaves

Eclectic Paperie: Fall

Open Minded: autumn

Simon Says Stamp monday challenge: stamp or stencil

Have a great day and thanks for popping by

Claire xx

A4 Leaves Stencil	Light Gold PanPastel	Rich Gold - Metallic Pan Pastel	Copper Panpastel	Bright Yellow Green Shade
Matt Gel

Stained Glass Angel from Chocolate Baroque

Good morning my lovelies, the weekend is here at last so hopefully that means lots of playtime! Today's card is one of my samples with the gorgeous new Christmas stamps from Chocolate Baroque, you can find them all here. The angel is a real beauty, she's from 'A Child is Born'

I wanted to give the impression of the angel coming to life and flying out of the stained glass windows so I began by stamping the window fragments and embossing with Gold embossing powder. I used distress inks around the edges, starting with Faded Jeans and then adding Stormy sky and then Chipped Sapphire. I painted the glass in the windows with twinkling H20 paints and then stamped the snowflakes in the corners and the sentiment (from Christmas Magic)  and embossed with gold.

I stamped the angel with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and coloured her with Graph'It markers before cutting her out and layering her over the background with 3d foam pads.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges

Crafting by Designs: Christmas

Hobbybook: embossing

Inky Chicks: anything goes

Inky Impressions: anything goes

Winter Wonderland: layer it up

Thanks so much for visiting today

Claire xx

Sketch Inspiration at Polkadoodles

Good morning my lovelies and thank goodness its Friday!!! Today's is my DT project for our Sketch challenge at Polkadoodles. You've still got a week to enter to be in with the chance of a fabby prize so pop over to the challenge blog for all the details and while you're there check out the gorgeous projects from my lovely teamies!

I've used one of the gorgeous digital images from the Work and Play Festive Hollybobs collections, (you can also find her as a digital stamp here if you're not a cd crafter) I've layered her over an image of Christmas presents in publisher and then printed her on Ultimate Graphic paper before colouring with my Graph'It markers. The papers, ticket sentiments and paper bow are all from the same cd. I've used kraft card for layering and added some lace, ribbon and pearls from my stash.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

ABC Christmas: Something festive

Crafting by Design: Christmas

Crafty Cardmakers: ribbon/lace/pearls

Crafty Sentiments: Christmas in September

Holly Jolly Christmas: ribbon/lace

Papertake Weekly: cute

Penny's Paper Crafty: spots and stripes

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

Hello Autumn!

Good morning folks, how's your week going? I love Wednedays, its my favourite day at work as I know its down hill to weekend lol. My card today is just for fun, my mojo has been awol and I've had a bit of a struggle to get into DT work so I decided to just have a play with this gorgeous freebie Tiddly Inks stamp and papers from Quick Cards made Easy.

I've coloured the lovely image with my Graph'It Markers, layered up on some kraft card and then used the pretty free papers to cover a shaped card blank. I used some more of the papers to make some paper flowers using Heartfelt Creations dies and  popped some beads in the centres.

I've added raffia lace, seam binding ribbon and a scruffy bow of raffia ad ribbon topped with a wooden button and some twine.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Bearly Mine: Autumn colours

Creatalicious: flower power

Cutie Pie: cute with shades of Autumn

Die Cutting Divas: Anything fall

Incy Wincy: anything goes

Paper Minutes: colours of Autumn

Sweet Stampin: favourite embellishments (ribbon and buttons)

Have a great day and thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Trees with Autumn Colours at Fashionable Stamping Challenges

Hi there folks, I'm running a bit late with my DT card for Fashionable Stamping Challenges, its not bloggers fault this time lol. I thought the new challenge started next week, so I seem to have lost a full week somewhere. Anyway better late than never, our theme this time around is 'Trees with Autumn Colours' and we've got a fab prize of a $20 voucher for Flonzcraft so I hope you're going to play along with us. Don't forget we're a stamping challenge though so no digis allowed!

For my card I've made background using the cling film technique and distress stains/glimmer mists overstamped with some gorgeous leaves from Heartfelt Creations. The focal image is from Chocolate Baroque, stamped with Memento Rich Cocoa and coloured with both Graph'It markers and Inkense pencils. I've added some raffia lace, lots of leaves cut from scraps of the background card, some little berries and of course seam binding ribbon and a bow. 

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

A Creative romance: anything goes

Allsorts: based on a film title (The Birds)

Craft Room Challenge: Forest Friends

Crafty Calendar: leaves and lace

Fantasy Stampers: autumn colours

Sweet Stampin: ribbons and bows

Vandicrafts: Autumn

Well i've got the ironing done, cooked lunch, walked the dogs and tidied up I definitely think its time to get inky in my craft room. If you've got a minute do pop over to the challenge blog and check out my teamies gorgeous projects

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

Embossing at PanPastel UK

Good morning my lovelies, we've got a new challenge starting at PanPastel UK and our theme this time is 'Embossing' so dig out those embossing folders or dust off your heat gun and have a play to be in with a chance of winning some fab stash from our generous sponsors Premium Craft Brands!

You don't have to use PanPastels to play along but of course we love it when you do.

I've used PanPastels in Yellow Green Shade, Burnt Sienna, Raw Umber and Rich Gold to create this faux leather notebook using kraft cardstock. I've followed Sheena Douglass's technique using glycerine to create the faux leather and then embossed with the gorgeous A4 Leaves Stencil before applying my PanPastels. I used Maimeri Mat Gel Medium to seal and then lined the inside with fabric. The sentiment at the bottom is from Chocolate Baroque, stamped on tissue paper and applied with my Matte gel medium. I used a grungeboard shape at the top, embossed with gold EP. The inside was painted with Platinum White Maimeri Acrylic paint, stamped with a Heartfelt Creations sentiment and topped with crackle medium.

I'm far to lazy to sew the notebook inside so I took the easy option and cut a little shopping list book down and glued it inside. Lastly I made a ribbon fastener using seam binding ribbon, a spellbinders die cut coloured with PanPastels and a few flowers topped off with a button and a twine bow.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Bearly Mine: autumn colours

Crafting for all seasons: colours of Autumn

Cute Card Thursday: Awesome Autumn

Divas by Design: anything but a card

Milk/Coffee challenge: colours of Autumn

Penny's Paper Crafty: embossing

Simon Says Monday Challenge: techniques

Simply Create Too: Fall/Autumn

Thanks for popping by, have a great day and hope to see you again soon

Claire xx

Matt Gel	Rich Gold - Metallic Pan Pastel	Burnt Sienna	Raw Umber	Bright Yellow Green Shade
Platinum white acrylic paint	A4 Leaves Stencil

Something Masculine at We Do Doobadoo

Good morning my lovelies and a big warm welcome to my new followers, its a real pleasure to 'meet' you. Its Saturday so I'm hoping to have lots of time in my craft room but before I go and play here's my project for our new challenge at We Do Doobadoo and this time around our theme is 'Something Masculine'. As always you don't have to use Dutch Doobadoo products to join in and our lucky winner will receive some gorgeous Doobadoo goodies so I hope you're going to play along with us.

I've altered an MDF clock blank for my DT project. You may notice that it isn't a finished clock, that's because I can't find any clock mechanisms anywhere, I'm sure there is a black hole in my craft room lol. Anyway I began with a coat of Maimeri Gesso, then added lots of texture with Maimeri Light Modelling Paste and some of my favourite Dutch Doobadoo stencils (I used Metal 2 and Barbed Wire). Once that was dry I glued on some of the Kraft Art Stars and Arrows. and then gave the whole thing a coat of black acrylic paint. I used Maimeri Acrylic paints in Deep Gold, Light Gold and Bronze (the bronze is my favourite colour ever, its gorgeous. I also blended in a little green here and there and then once it was dry I dry brushed black here and there too.

For the inside i used a piece of greyboard and primed with Maimeri White Gesso and added some more texture with a Dutch Doobadoo burlap stencil and more Light Modelling Paste. Next I added a coat of Platinim White Maimeri Acrylic, and mixed in some PanPastels. The stamps are all from Chocolate Baroque, stamped with Potting Soil Archival onto tissue, coloured with distress markers and attached to the project with Maimeri Mat Gel medium. The letters were die cuts, again painted with Maimeri acrylics. To finish off I've added some highlights with some Treasure Gold.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Artistic Stamper: Autumn Colours

Aud Sentiments: for the men in our life

Crafty Creations: Vintage

Divas by Design: anything but a card

Rhedd's Creative Spirit: Anything Mixed Media

STAMPlorations: Stamps and markers

The Male Room: Metal

The Mirror Crack'd: anything goes mixed media

Have a lovely crafty day folks, thanks for visiting and hope to see you again soon

Claire xx

DD Barbed Wire

DD Metal 2

Arrows

Stars

Dutch Doobadoo Stencil

Light Source or Pink at Graph'It Colouring Challenge

Morning my lovelies, Friday at last and the weekend is nearly here yipppeeee! Its also time for a new challenge over at Graph'It Colouring Challenge and Nikky has really made us DT girls get our thinking caps on as she challenged us with the theme of light source eeeek! She's not that mean to you guys though as you have the option of pink as the challenge theme (unless you're feeling brave and want to try the light source lol). As always there's a prize of gorgeous Graph'It goodies for our lucky winner so don't miss out on your chance to win!

I've coloured a Sweet Pea christmas stamp for my DT card, it was a real challenge with all those candles lol. Pop over to the challenge blog for a full list of all the colours. I've created a background with stamps from Chocolate Baroque and the gorgeous new Pearl PanPastels in blue and green. I've layered the up on a shaped and embossed card blank and added some ribbon, holly die cuts, little white berries, a pearl slider and a snowflake charm.

I'm entering card in the following challenges:

ABC Christmas: something festive

Cards Galore Encore: make a card

Crafty Cardmakers: ribbon/lace and pearls

Holly Jolly Christmas: ribbon or lace 

Incy wincy: shaped cards

One Sweet Challenge: holidays are coming

Paper Shelter: ribbon/twine/floss

Penny's Paper Crafty: embossing

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

Meet Winston from Polkadoodles

Good morning folks, well I'm sure you've all seen lots of this adorable little chap in blogland but this is the first chance I've had to post one of my Winston makes. Winston is Nikky Hall's latest addition to the Polkadoodles family, he's such a cute little Teddy and his friend Etty is just adorable, you can find them both and lots of gorgeous goodies on the Winston CD Collection

I decided to make one of these cute pop up box cards but I wanted to make it a bit bigger than usual so I used two A4 sheets of kraft card to create my box. The image is one of the digistamps from the CD (all the images also come precoloured too so they are fab for quick cards)

I coloured the image with Graph'It markers and then set too cutting out loads of flowers, paper bows and various embellies from the CD

I covered the box with a couple of the lovely backing papers from the CD, there are so many it was really hard to choose lol. I then added all my flowers and embellies and  couple of sentiments from the CD. The only thing I added was a few little bows made using some garden twine.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Crafting from the heart: anything goes

Creatalicious: flower power

Creative Corner: masculine

Incy Wincy: Shaped cards

Inky Chicks: anything goes

Oh La La: birthday boy

The Squirrel and the fox: for a male

Through the Craft room  door: anything goes

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

Claire xx

Snowy Penguins from Chocolate Baroque

Good morning folks, today's card features Snowy Penguins, one of this month's new stamp releases from Chocolate Baroque.  As always my lovely teamies have got loads of inspiration so make sure you pop over to the Chocolate Baroque Design Team blog and have a peek.

I stamped the images with Memento Tuxedo Black ink, and added some colour with Graph'It markers before cutting them out and popping them on to a side step card. I've added a computer generated sentiment, some die cut snowflakes and icicles and then added lots of glitter for some snowy sparkle.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

4 Crafty Chicks: anything goes

Aud Sentiments: for the men in our life

Cards for Guys: no patterned paper

Christmas at Sweet Stampin: Christmas critters

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Extra: anything goes

Cuttlebug Mania: anything die cut

Jellypark: pets/animals

Winter Wonderland: boys will be boys

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

Claire xx

Sparkling Snowflakes from Chocolate Baroque

Good morning folks, how's your week going? I'm meeting myself coming back at work as usual but at least I'm not bored lol. Today's project is an early Christmas make using this month's new releases from Chocolate Baroque.
 I love the snowflakes on 'A child is born', they are such beautiful stamps I wanted to put them centre stage rather than use them for a background so I've made a little bag charm and matching gift box.

To make the gift box I took a paper mache book box and applied texture paste around the side, while it was wet I ran a comb along the edge to create 'pages' and left it to dry. Once it was dry I gave the box a couple of coats of off white emulsion paint and again left it to dry.

While the paint was drying I stamped the snowflakes on to tissue with versamark and embossed with Wow Gold Sparkle embossing powder, this powder is just soooooo sparkly the pics really don't do it justice at all.I cut them out and then peeled off the top layer of the tissue. I applied the tissue snowflakes to the box with matte medium and again left it to dry thoroughly. To finish off I've embossed all the edges with gold embossing powder.

Here's a view of the inside of the box

To make the bag charm I took a copper blank and painted with white acrylic paint. Once the paint was dry I stamped and embossed the snowflakes and then carefully applied a clear two part resin (Glossy accents doesn't work for this technique, it goes a gloopy greeny turquoise colour,don't ask how I know haha). I was planing on adding some beaded snowflakes but I'm so slow at beadwork these days they may not be ready until next Christmas lol.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Artistic Inspirations: anything goes/bling

Christmas Stampin all year long: non card project

Completely Christmas: anything goes

Crafty Little Fairies: sparkle/bling

Hobbycutz: gold/silver

Rhedd's Creative Spirit: anything goes altered art

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: techniques

WOW Embossing powders: My favourite 

Thanks so much for visiting today

Claire xx