Red Poppies Elf from Aurora wings

Good morning folks, I'm rushing off to work as usual but before I go  I just wanted to share this card made for the first challenge at the new Aurora Wings Challenge blog where the theme is 'Anything Goes'. I adore Mitzi's images, they are so beautifully detailed but I haven't had much spare time for the last few weeks so it was lovely to have a little time to colour. This image is Red Poppies Elf with Poppy Blooms

The image has been coloured with Graph'It markers and framed with Spellbinders die cuts. I made the background using stamps from Indigo Blu and distress inks (Bundled Sage and Festive Berries). I've matted on red and then kraft card and added lace, ribbon, a button topped with a little twine bow, a few little paper poppies and a metal butterfly.

I'm also entering this card in the following challenges:

A Gem of a challenge: ribbon and lace

Divas By Design: buttons and bows

Fairytale Stampers: favourite colours (bundled sage is my favourite colour DI)

MilkCoffee: spring

Pile it on: floral fantasy

Simon Says Stamp: buttons

Thanks so much for visiting today, 

Claire xx

A garden is a friend you can visit anytime ...

Good morning my lovelies, eeeek where did the weekend go?  I guess I blinked and missed it again as I'm about to get ready for work.  Before I go though, I just wanted to let you know that the lovely Nikky Hall is on C&C this morning at 9am with lots of fabulous tips and techniques not to mention a mega bargain or two!

This card is one of the samples I've made for the show. the image and papers are from the fabulous new Polkadoodles CD 'Work and Play collection 1 which you can find here. The image was coloured with my Graph'Its and die cut before a little distressing around the edges with antique linen distress ink.

The papers have been layered up over kraft card, I used my favourite MS punch along one of the edges. I've also added a die cut shape that I embossed in my trusty old cuttlebug. I dyed some seam binding ribbon with my distress inks and created a shabby bow and topped it off with a button and some twine. To finish off I've added a little metal snail that came with a plant I was given a while ago (I knew it would come in for something lol)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Challenges and Candies: embossing

Come and get it: in the garden

Inklings and Yarns: anything goes

Paper Shelter: spring

Top Tip Tuesday: metal

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

Claire xx

Let it be Spring at Craft a Scene

Good afternoon, how's your Sunday going? I'm a very lucky girlie today as my lovely son has given me a day off from housey stuff and done all the jobs that need doing and even cooked a scrummy Sunday lunch. Now can I push my luck and see if I get get him to do some gardening too lol?? Spring has definitely arrived in my garden, lots of Spring flowers and all the plants are getting their new leaves and talking of Spring, this is the last week of our 'Let is be Spring' challenge at Craft a Scene and for my DT project I've made this card.

The stamps are all from Stamp It Australia, I adore these stamps but haven't inked them up for ages. I stamped the scene on Cotman hotpressed water colour card using black archival ink and then painted the scene with distress inks, adding some more depth here and there with distress markers.

The background was also made using distress inks and a Cherry Blossom stamp from Sheena Douglass. I've used black card for matting and layering and then added some  blossom die cuts (this was where my idea for this card started as I have a lovely plum tree outside my craft room window, it always come into blossom really early  and is sooo pretty). I've also added a black bow and a die cut butterfly.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

A Creative Romance: spring flowers

Allsorts: use those dies

Crafting for all seasons: No designer paper

Left of Centre: anything goes anniversary challenge

Little Miss Muffet: anything goes

Paper Shelter: spring

Suzy Bee's Blooming Challenge: Spring Flowers 

If you've got a minute pop over to the challenge blog and check out the inspiration from my talented teamies. Thanks for visiting today, hope to see you again soon

Claire xx

Metallic Inspiration at PanPastel Challenge

Good morning my lovlies, and Happy Mothers Day to all the mums out there. I'm hoping to be spoiled and pampered today although as my boy is usually in bed nursing a hangover until middle of the afternoon I think breakfast in bed is a bit unlikely lol. Today's project is an inspiration project for our Metallic challenge at PanPastel UK, you've still got a week to enter and there's a fab prize from goodies for our lucky winner too!! As always my teamies have created some amazing artwork so if you've got a min do pop over and have a look.

I've used stamps from Artistic Outpost and Chocolate Baroque, stamped with Potting Soil Archival ink. I've used Raw Umber, Gold and Ultramarine PanPastels to distress the layers and then mixed Gold PanPastel with Maimeri Light modelling Paste and applied it through a Dutch Doobadoo stencil. I've also coloured the ribbon with PanPastels and to finish off I've added a button and  a little birdie charm

I'm entering this in the following challenges:

Allsorts: use those dies

A Vintage Journey: say it with words

Crafty Ribbons: ribbon and button

Fussy and Fancy: shabby chic

My Sheri Crafts: anything but a card

Sugar Creek Hollow: make your own background

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

Claire xx

Gorgeous new stamps from Chocolate Baroque

Good morning folks, weekend at last and the weather is forecast to be warm and sunny so with any luck I'll be able to get out in the garden and plant some seeds. I get such a buzz from watching the little green shoots pop up from the soil (I'm easily pleased lol) but before I go I wanted to give you a heads up that Glenda at Chocolate Baroque has released some of the most gorgeous new stamps, there are two A5 sets 'Springtime Edges' and 'Elegant Edges' and an A4 sheet called Patchwork Landscapes and oh my goodness they are gorgeous (they are all on special offer too, have a peek here)!!

This card was made using 'Springtime Edges' I adore snowdrops and these delicate little beauties are so pretty! I've stamped the snowdrop edge stamp with Memento ink and added a little colour with graph'It markers and some sparkle with a Silver Graph'It shake pen.

I've added some stencilling in the background, inky distressed edges and then added one of the beautiful Spring fairy stamps and sentiments

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Aud Sentiments: Easter/Spring sentiments

Bunny Zoe's: Monochromatic

Creative Moments: anything goes/things with wings

A Creative Romance: spring flowers

Kaboodle Doodles: dreaming of Spring

Stamp and Create: ready for Spring

Stempelsonne: Spring is here

Thanks so much for visiting today, 

Claire xx

Springing in to Spring with Polkadoodles and Graph'It

Good morning folks, phew its almost the weekend and I'll be so glad to escape from work for a couple of days, I've hardly had any time to craft so I've combined our challenges at Polkadoodles and Graph'It Colouring Challenge as they both have a Spring theme and some gorgeous prizes up for grabs too so do pop over to find out more!!

I've used the lovely new 'singer' image from the brand new 'Work and Play 1' Collection from Polkadoodles, she's coloured with my Graph'It markers (for a full list of colours, pop over to the Graph'It blog) The backing paper is from the same Cd as is the sentiment. I've added ribbon, lace, paper flowers and pearls from my stash to finish off.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Card Mania: lace and pearls

Cute Card Thursday: Floral Delights

Incy Wincy: ribbon/lace/pearls

Inky Chicks: use some lace

Try it on Tuesday: music

Well thanks for popping by, have a good day

Claire xx

Happiness with Dutch Doobadoo

Good morning my lovelies, hopefully blogger will play nicely and post this as I should be on my way to Leeds for a day training so I've got to leave home at the crack of dawn. I always look forward to training as its lovely to get away from the office and meet new peeps but you can guarantee that the train will break down or I'll get lost and spend hours wandering aimlessly around lol. Anyway enough rambling on, my project today is a little wall hanging was made with lots of Dutch Doobadoo goodies. There's still lots of time to enter the 'Sweet as Honey' challenge at We Do Doobadoo so don't miss out on a chance to win some gorgeous goodies!!

These pics are even worse than usual as this was one of some samples I made for a recent show and I took the pics at some unearthly hour using my ottlite so thats my excuse and I'm sticking to it lol. I began by painting the MDF tryptich panels with Maimeri Gesso and edging them with Treasure gold. I used the flower swirl mask with my gelli plate to create the background, I didn't use paint but just Maimeri iridescent paste and took the print one some card that I'd coloured with shades of yellow PanPastels.

I've used Dutch Doobadoo lasercuts: buttons, butterflies, corners and also added some of my favourite Softboard Honeycomb. The sentiment stamps are from Paper Artsy and the main image is from Crafty Individuals, coloured with Graph'It markers.

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I've added some bakers twine to the little buttons and then used lots of yellow gingham ribbon to string the pieces on their sides to create the wall hanging.

I'm entering this in the following challenges

All crafts: anything but a card

Come and Get it: Easter or Spring

Crafts and Me: anything goes

Sentimental Sunday: flowery Spring

The Craft Garden: pastel colours

Whoopsi Daisy: welcome Spring

Thanks for popping by today

Claire xx

Get well soon from Polkadoodles Work & Play collection

Good morning, today's card features the gorgeous new 'Work and Play' collection from PolkaDoodles and guess what, Nikky is on C&C today at 8am with this fab new CD so if you get chance book your place in front of the tv as Nikky always has lots of tips and techniques to share!

Work and Play 1 has loads of really fun characters, aren't they adorable??

The image has been coloured with Graph'It markers and I've used one of the fab Dutch Doobadoo Shape Art templates to cut around her and the little background paper too. Nikky has done a fab job of creating some really fun papers to go with all these characters. love this one!

I've added red seambinding ribbon, a little medical bag charm, some Dutch Doobadoo laser cut stars and one of the ticket sentiments from the Work and Play collection.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

ABC Challenge: h is for hair

Digi Galore: anything goes

Doodle Garden: anything goes

Pumpkin Spice: dots

Sister Act: anything goes

Sadly I won't be watching the show as I've got to go to work but I'll be recording it and dashing home to watch. Have a good day and thanks for visiting

Claire xx

Sprinkled with Fairydust from Chocolate Baroque

Good morning my lovelies, oh dear back to work for me today so I'm not a happy bunny.  today's card features the beautiful Spring Fairy stamps from Chocolate Baroque  and the Fairyland Words which complement them perfectly.

I began by brayering the scene by masking the moon and using torn paper masks and Memento Inks in Pear Tart and Elderberry. I love memento inks for brayer work, the colours are lovely (they are on offer at the minute too, you can find them here). I wanted to create a distressed look to the scene so I splashed on some water and blotted it off with kitchen roll and then set to with a Crafters Workshop Harlequin stencil and Memento Tuxedo Black ink. Next I stamped the images, again with Memento Tuxedo Black and added some colour with Graph'It Markers. For a little sparkle, I stamped the images again on acetate and embossed with black EP and glittered the back. Once the wings were dry I added them with a little silicone glue for dimension.

The sentiment was stamped on white card using Memento Elderberry ink. I then brushed Matte medium over the image, sprinkled with glitter and popped the acrylic tag on the medium while it was still wet. Once it was dry I trimmed the excess card and added a little green ribbon.

To finish off I've matted on white, lilac and then black card and added some green silk ribbon and a lilac paper rose.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Aud Sentiments: anything goes

Crafting for all seasons: no designer papers

East Wind Challenge: spring

One Sweet Challenge: we all scream for green

Simon Says Stamp: glitter

Well, I'd better go and catch the bus to work now so thanks for visiting today, hope to see you again soon.

Claire xx

Let it be Spring at Craft a Scene

Hello there, I've been bursting to share some super exciting news and todays the day lol. I was over the moon to receive an email from Nancy inviting me to join the DT at Craft a Scene, I thought about it for about a millisecond and then emailed back a big 'yes please'! Everyone who knows me will tell you that I adore to start with a plain white sheet of card and get busy with stamps and inks to create a scene so its going to be a real joy to be part of the mega talented DT over at Craft a Scene. Our theme this month is 'Let it be Spring' and having spent most of my holiday weeding the first thing that came to mind was gardening so that was the inspiration for my card.

I began by stamping and masking the scene using stamps from Katie Sue Designs, that wheelbarrow is sooo difficult to stamp properly I ended up doing it about 3 times and then struggled to cut out the mask so used masking fluid. Yep you've guessed then I rubbed the image off when I removed the masking fluid eeeeeeek! Anyway I got there in the end and once the ink was dry I added colour with my PanPastels and Derwent Inktense and Colorsoft pencils,

The sentiment is a stamp from Paper Artsy, stamped on a tag with Potting Soil Archival ink and distressed with Walnut stain distress ink, I've added a paper daisy, some twine and a tiny trowel charm to finish off.

I'm entering this card in the following challeges;

4 Crafty chicks: no patterned paper

Brown Sugar: anything goes

City Crafter: Spring in the garden

Crafty Bloggers Network: nature

Thats Crafty: inky antics

The Shabby Tearoom: anything goes

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

Claire xx

Metallics at PanPastel Premium Craft Brands Challenge

Good morning, Sunday and the last day of my week off so I'd better make the most of it. Before I go and play in my craft room here are my projects for this weeks challenge at PanPastel Challenge where out theme is 'Metallics', as ever there's a fab prize from our generous sponsor Your Creativity Store and lots of inspiration from my talented teamies so hop on over to the challenge bog and check out all the details.
 For my DT project I've had a play with my Pans and a couple of old picture frames

I began by covering the picture frames using versmark  and added lots of metallic PanPastels and a smidge of Magenta Extra Dark here and there too. I've also made a couple of pictures to pop in the frames by colouring crackle medium with Gold PanPastel and stamping around the focal images with versamark and applying more PanPastels. The stamps are from Indigo Blu, stamped with versafine and the butterflies have been stamped on acetate backed with gilding flakes

To finish off I've added some tiny pearls to the butterflies

I'm entering these projects in the following challenges:

A Vintage Journey: say it with words

Add a little dazzle: frames/anything goes

Altered Eclectics: Anything goes

Artistic Stamper: letters words and numbers

Creative Corner: a little texture

Kitty Bee Designs: things with wings

Rhedd's Creative Spirit: altered art

Rhedd and Rosies's: aged/distressed

Sisterhood of Crafters: sentiment as focal point

Well I'm away to play in my craft room now so have a great day and thanks for visiting today

Claire xx

Silhouettes at Fashionable Stamping challenges

Hello there folks, we've got a fab new challenge starting at Fashionable Stamping challenges and this time the lovely Ellie has chosen the theme of 'Silhouettes'. As ever we've got a fab prize of a $20 voucher from our generous sponsors Flonzcraft so pop on over to the challenge blog and find out all the details, while you're there have look at all the gorgeous work from my DT sisters, amazing projects as always.

As always i'm starting with an apology as my photos have really darkened the colours but enough excuses lol. I've used dps from LOTV and distress them with Tea Dye distress ink. The roses were made with a Britannia rose dye and the leaves and butterflles were made with punches. 

The focal image is a stamp from Flonzcraft, its one of my favourites from the Vintage Fashion Ladies stamp set, stamped with Potting Soil archival ink. I love this image of the two elegant ladies sipping their tea so decided to carry on with the tea theme and while I was browsing I came across this fabulous tut from Deneen, she has a lovely teapot template too so a big thank you for the inspiration Deneen

I've added little pearls, ribbon, lace pretty button, twine and a gorgeous little teapot charm.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

A Creative Romance: seeing double

Cards Galore Encore: stamp or a digi

Crafty Hands: buttons and bows

Crafty Hazelnuts Patterned paper: anything goes

Crafty Ribbons: anything goes with ribbon

Get Inky: circles

LEJ designs: favourite die cuts (roses)

Well thanks for popping by today, have a lovely day

Claire xx

Sweet as Honey at We do Doobadoo

Good morning folks, a lovely sunny Saturday morning and we're starting a brand new challenge over at 'We Do Doobadoo' where the theme is 'Sweet as Honey' and you can interpret the theme any way you wish. You don't have to use Dutch Doobadoo products to enter but of course we love it when you do. There is a fab prize up for grabs of gorgeous Dutch Doobadoo goodies (including the fabulous Teapot Template) so do pop over to the challenge blog to check out all the details and while you're there check out the gorgeous inspiration from my talented teamies too.

I've created a background using distress inks on coated card and then stamped an Indigo Blu honeycomb stamp and embossed with Frantage Shabby White EP. Next I added faux stitching with a white Graph'It Shake pen and some yellow gingham ribbon,a  little bee charm and white lace. The focal image was made using stamps from Chocolate Baroque 'Honey Bee' set, coloured with Graph'It Markers.

Next the fun bit, adding lots of embellies, well I love the Dutch Doobadoo softboard Honeycomb so I added some of that, painted with Maimeri White Gesso, a few paper flowers from my stash, some little honey bees (made with stamps from the same set, I stamped the wings on acetate and smeared some stickles on the back for sparkly wings). I also added some of the delicate Dutch Doobadoo laser cut butterflies, love these they are so pretty but they stand up to inking really well 

Lastly I added the sentiment, also from the Honey Bee set, framed with a spellbinders die cut

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Addicted to stamps and more: colouring

Chocolate coffee and cards: glitter and lace

City Crafter: spring in the garden

Creative Card Crew: charms

Creative Knockouts: things with wings

STAMPlorations: stamps and Spring

Southern Girls: floral frenzy

Thats Crafty: Inky Antics

Thanks for visiting , have a good day and hope to see you again soon
Claire xx

Social Butterfly

Good morning, how's your week going? My week off is going a bit too quickly for my liking but I've got loads done in the garden so I'm having a play day today! This mornings project is a tag made using the technique featured in this months Craft Stamper Take it Make it Challenge which is Monoprinting with an acrylic block.

I had  a lovely messy play with my acrylic paints and a large acrylic block and ended up with a heap of backgrounds, I chose this one to work with and added some stamping with black archival ink using stamps from Stampendous and also stencilled in some dots using a template and picked raspberry distress ink. I wasn't sure it would work too well as the paint was really thick but so far so good. I used some scraps of the background to paper piece the Prima Doll stamp, using one of the background stamps for her tights and finished off colouring her in with Graph'It Markers.

Her wings and the sentiment are stamps from Paper Artsy, I brushed her wings with a little pink mica powder, you've got to have a bit of sparkle on your wings lol.

I popped the image and sentiment on the tag with cosmic shimmer glue and then added some shading with a Derwent Pastel pencil, ooooh I love this effect and will definitely be using it again.

I'm also entering this tag in the following challenges:

Crafting for all seasons: no designer paper

Paper Pretties: make your own background

Have a good day and thanks for popping by today

Claire xx

Into every life a little rain must fall......

Good morning my lovelies, hope you're having a good week. I'm making the most of my week off and catching up on lots of jobs (and crafting too lol) so before I go and tackle today's list here's a card made using the beautiful Fantasy Castles from Chocolate Baroque. I love this castle image I combined it with the cloud stamps from Magical Landscapes to create a rainy scene.

I coloured the image with distress markers and used Walnut Stain distress ink around the edges of the image. I matted it up on some dark brown card and layered it up over square of card with a brick effect made using a Crafters Workshop Template and distress inks. Again I matted on brown card and layered up over a more muted background made with more distress inks and a brick stamp from Abstract Fragments. The sentiment is on of my all time favourites and is from Loving Sentiments. To finish of I've added a little seam binding bow and an umbrella charm from my stash.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Aud Sentiments: anything goes with a sentiment
Country View Crafts: paperchase
Crafty Hands: buttons and bows
Cards and More:  Non Cute
Pink Elephant: lots of layers, ribbon and a pinch of green

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