My lovely blogland friends

Monday 28 February 2011

Spring Sweet Pea card

I thought this stamp would be perfect for the challenge at Sweet Pea Stampers where the theme is use your favourite sweet pea image and also for In a Sweet Pea dream where the challenge is 'Warmer Weather'.


I love this stamp, 'Magical Springtime' by Elaine Cox although if I'm really honest whichever stamp I'm colouring is my favourite as I love all my Sweet Pea stamps lol. She is coloured in promarkers and has glittered wings. I've cut her out with a nestie and matted her on some lime card. The bps are from my stash and i've cut 2 doileys with a Marianne die from the floral bp. The paper flowers are from my stash and I've added some glittered circles to the centres. I love this limeade Martha Stewart glitter, is a really gorgeous colour (it was in my fabby parcel of blog candy from the lovely Audrey - she has some more amazing candy up for grabs so pop over to her blog and check it out!!). To finish off i've added a sentiment (stamp from HOTP) and some green faux pearls.

I'm also entering this card in the following challenges:
Crafty Creations: At the bottom of my garden lives.....
Crafty Purple Frog: A touch of magic
Hannah and friends: Purple + 1 other colour
Oldie but goodie: Spring is in the air

Thanks for popping by today. Spring doesn't seem far away now as the trees in the garden have little green buds and the first daffodils are in bud so hopefully the long winter is nearly over :-) It won't be long and I'll be able to get out in the garden and get good and muddy! I wonder why I love messy things - inky/painty crafting, pottering round in the garden?? I suppose I'm just a big kid at heart lol.
Claire xx

Sunday 27 February 2011

Things that fly

This weeks challenge over at Bah Humbug is a nice easy one, 'Things that fly' and it was also a fab excuse to use one of my new Sweet Pea stamps. Rachel Anderson's 'Snow Fae' is such a beautiful stamps though so I didn't need much of an excuse lol.


I've coloured the image with promarkers and embossed the fairy's wings with clear sparkle EP. the snowflakes are glittered with Judikins prisma glitter and the little stars on the fairy's dress are coloured with sakura clear stardust. I've used a couple of scraps of backing paper from my Christmas stash and punched one with a MS border punch and distressed the other with Tumbled Glass DI. The sentiment is from the lovely Lynne at Sentiments 4 You To finish off i've added some gems, white organza ribbon and a crystal buckle.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Ai Factory: Monochromatic 
Bah Humbug: Things that fly
Crafts and me: things with wings
Craft us Crazy: winter theme
Crafty Purple Frog: A touch of magic
Paperplay: Get sentimental
Paper Romance: anything goes
Sketch and Stash: I've used the sketch but rotated it

Thanks for visiting today, I hope you've had a good weekend. I'm back at work after my holiday tomorrow so I'm not a happy bunny at all. Still I've made the most of the last few hours of my annual leave by getting inky and messy in my craft room :-)
Claire xx

Friday 25 February 2011

Happy birthday Challenge at Crafty Ann's

This week at Crafty Ann's our challenge is an easy one for you as we have a 'Happy Birthday' theme. As usual the lucky winner will receive a fab prize from Crafty Ann's Digi Shop


As soon as I saw this cute little dachshund I knew he'd be perfect for one of my friends as he has a little dog just like this one! You can find him in Crafty Ann's shop. He is coloured with promarkers and then cut out and layered up on a couple of nestie layers. The mottled stone bp is also from Crafty Ann's of course and its one of my all time favourites, such a beautiful rich blue. To tie it in to the doggy theme I've stamped paw prints with brown versafine ink and layered it over some brown distressed paper from my stash. The little lead embellie is made with some brown grossgrain ribbon, a little charm and a brad.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
A spoon full of sugar: Birthday wishes
Cards for men: recipe : 2 ddps, 1 image, 3 embellies (ribbon, charm and brad)
Craft your passion: Male card/project
Crazy 4 Challenges: Die cutting
Do you stack up: anything goes
ECP Challenge: Somethiing for the boys 
Gingerloft challenge: our furry friends
One Stop Craft Challenge: birthday cards
Paper Sundaes: Masculine colours
Partytime Tuesday: Anything goes
Passion for Promarkers: One for the boys
Some odd girl: Handmade embellishment (my little pooch's lead)

Thanks for visiting today, make sure you stop by the rest of my teamies blogs and check out their beautiful creations
Claire xx

Thursday 24 February 2011

Recycled CD for Bah Humbug

The challenge at Bah Humbug this week is to use a CD, I always have loads of old cds laying around as my son is DJ and he gets through loads and loads of them. I decided to make a little hanging decoration with a cd.


The CD is covered with a bp from one of Joanna Sheens cds (I think, it was from a file of printed bps that I'm trying to use up so I'm not 100% sure which cd is was from). I sandwiched a doiley between the cd and the layer of bp on the back of the cd. I also wrapped a wide red satin ribbon around the cd and popped in a hanging loop before I covered the back of the cd (you don't want to know how many times I've forgotten to do this until after I've put the bp on lol)

I've added a Marianne die cut stamped with a Paula Pascuale greeting in red dye ink and cute little Tilda coloured with promarkers and glittered her wings and fur trim with some creamy glitter. To finish off I've added a big red bow and some red and gold stickles.

I'm entering this little project in the following challenges
Bah Humbug: Use a CD/DVD
CD Sunday: Get ahead, get a hat
Incy Wincy: Punches/die cuts
Top Tip Tuesday: Bling it on
Winter Wonderland: Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas
One Stitch at a time: anything but a square
The cheerful stamp pad: Anything but a card
Fresh Brewed Designs: Ribbons and bows

After all the hassle of decorating I've had a lovely crafty day and now hubby is cooking sausage and mash for tea! YUM SCRUM! I love sausage and mash :-)
I've been having an inky play making some backgrounds so after I've tucked in to my bangers I'll see how they've dried and maybe make a card or two.
Claire xx

Shabby Chic at Rainbow Lady's Challenge blog

Hi there, Thursday means a new challenge at Rainbow Lady's Challenge and this week we have a fab 'Shabby Chic' theme and a wonderful sponsor, our lucky winner will receive a prize from Steph of crafting.co.uk


I struggle with Shabby Chic although its a style I really love. I've used embossed card from Hunky Dory for the background, distressed with my craft knife and Victorian Velvet Distress Ink. I've used a beautiful rose fairy image from Joanna Sheen, coloured with promarkers, cut out with a nestie and inked with distress ink. The rose bp is from one of Joanna Sheen's paper pads. The lacy frills are made with a strip of paper punched with MS doiley punch and pleated. The ribbon is from Crafty Ribbons and the flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts.

I'm entering this little fairy in the following challenges:
2Sisters: embossing
Corrosive Challenge: Magical Creatures
Crafts and me: Things with Wings
Crafty Creations: At the bottom of my garden
Ooh La La: Pink Pink and more pink
Stamps R Us: for the girls

thanks for calling by, don't forget to check out my teamies fab blogs as they have some gorgeous Shabby Chic creations for you
Claire xx

Tuesday 22 February 2011

Blog hop at Michelle Perkett Studio!!

Hi, its time for our blog hop at Michelle Perkett Studio :-) If you've arrived from Mari's blog then you're on the right track, if not hop over to Michelle's blog where the fun starts!

The blog hop is to say a big thank you to our lovely DT ladies, especially those who are leaving we're so sad to see them go but wish them all the very best for the future. Jan, Marilyn, Margie, Melissa and Tammy are leaving the DT after our 6 month term and its been a real pleasure to work with you ladies :-)
I'd also like to thank my lovely teamies who are staying on and of course a huge thank you to Michelle too. Michelle is a very talented artist and a wonderful warm person and its a real pleasure to be a part of this amazing team.


I wanted to make a special card for our blog hop and decided to make a tealight card as I saw lots on people's blogs a few months ago and never got round to making one. Anyway as I made the little box bit for the tealights I thought it would be a great stopper for an easel card to I've made a tealight easel card, hope you like it :-)

We've all used Michelle's beautiful image 'Mary, Mary' for our blog hop projects, you can find her in Michelle's Etsy Store or at Bunny Zoe's Crafts. Mary is such cutie and i love the sentiment that comes with her. Mary is coloured with promarkers and i've used pale green and pink pearl card to make the tea light easel and mat and layer the image. The green card is stamped with an Elusive Images stitched flowers and embossed with white EP. The little tea light box was made using the same stamped card, it has an aperture cut out with a Spellbinders tag die and lined with some recycled clear plastic packaging. The lace, ribbon and flowers are all from Wild Orchid Crafts. Sorry the pic is a bit dull, we've had nothing but grey days here now for ages and its hard to get a decent pic but hopefully Mary will be a reminder that Spring isn't far away


Here's a little reminder of the blog hop order so you don't get lost lol. Your next stop on the blog hop is Marilyns wonderful blog

Claire (You are here)
Michelle Perkett Studio


I'm entering Mary in the following challenges:
Allsorts: Inspired by Nature
Bunny Zoe's Crafts: Spring - flowers everywhere
Charisma Cardz: Spring has sprung
Crafty Cardmakers: Spotlight plastic (recycled some clear packaging to go inside the aperture of the little box)
Creative Cottage: Fabulous florals
Frosted Designs Fabulous Friday: No patterened papers
Guylou's inimitability: anything goes
I did it Creations: Anything goes
Incy Wincy: Punches or dies
Kaboodle Doodles: Break tradition, Try something new
Karber Monthly challenge: Digi + love and/or friendship
Totally Papercrafts: Do it with digi's

Thanks for calling by today
Claire xx

Sunday 20 February 2011

Fancy joining the Mermaids at MPS??

Just a quick post to let you know that there is a DT call at Michelle Perkett Studio!!


I can't believe its 6 months since I joined Michelle's DT, I've had so much fun and of course Michelle's digi stamps are such a joy to work with I'm staying on the DT!!!! Michelle is looking for some new ladies to join us though so if you fancy joinig us email Michelle to find out more: michelleenchanted@gmail.com
and Michelle will give you a more detailed description of the DT duties and a freebie to work with!
Once you've got your freebie, use it to make a creation of your choice and pop over to Michelle Perkett Studio Blog and add it to the linky thingy!  GOOD LUCK!!

We also have a fab blog hop starting on Tuesday too!

I've been a bit quiet on the blog front as what started as a tiny leak and a bit of decorating in the kitchen has turned into a bit of a nightmare and taken so much longer to do than we thought. I'm itching to get back in my craft room and have a play so hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to get inky :-)

Hope you've had a good weekend
Claire xx

Thursday 17 February 2011

Use a CD at Rainbow Lady's Challenge

Hi there, Thursday is here again so that means a new challenge over at Rainbow Lady's Challenge blog and this week our theme is 'USE A CD' and we are sponsored by Amber Ink. The DT were lucky enough to be able to use some gorgeous stamps from Amber Ink for our projects this week. I've used this sassy young lady chatting on the phone, I really love this image, she is so gorgeous and its great to see a girl who's a bit cuddly lol. As soon as I saw her I could see her chatting on the phone to her friend, telling her all about her gorgeous new engagement ring!!


I've coloured the image with promarkers and added some lime stickles to her engagement ring with a dot of glossy accents over the top, its really sparkly IRL but hasn't shown up on the pic too well. The cushion she is leaning on is paper pieced, using a bp from a Debbi Moore's evergreen Cd (a freebie with this months magazine from Debbi Moore Crafts)  and then I fussy cut the whole image (it took ages I can tell you lol)

 The bps are also from the same cd, printed on pearlescent paper, I love these papers and they look scrummy printed out but they are a bit camera shy lol. I've stamped a swirly border around the main bp with a stamp from HOTP and also stamped and embossed a chandelier. The other cushions are made using stamps from Amber Inks on the same bp, overstamped with a background stamp from Elusive Images. I've added a green/black ribbon along the top of the card to finish off.

I'm also entering this card in the following challenges:
Annabelle Stamps: Say it with polkadots
Challenge up your life: Monochromatic
Crafty Emma's Challenge: Cute and cuddly
Creative Card World: Use a square
Desert Island Crafters: 3 items from the itinerary (no flowers, monochrome and swirls)
I love promarkers: Paper Piecing
Our Creative Corner: Cutting technique (paper piecing and fussy cutting)
Woodware USA: Embossing
Your Next Stamp Challenge: Paper Piecing


Thanks for calling by today, its my first day off and I have 11 days off work yippppppeeeeeeee!! The weather forecast isn't too good but its not going to rain or snow in my craft room so I'm not too bothered. Now i've just got to finish the decorating in the kitchen and the rest of my time off is all mine :-)

 Dig out your cds and get crafting to be in with a chance of winning a lovely prize from our fab sponsor. Don't forget to check out my teamies blogs too as they have some fab cards as always this week
Claire xx

Tuesday 15 February 2011

The Queen of Hearts

Hello there, wow we actually had a lovely sunny day yesterday, shame I was a at work but it still makes you feel better when the sun shines. I've made a very quick card for my DT card for Michelle Perkett Studio as I'm still battling on decorating the kitchen. I coloured the gorgeous Queen of Hearts (you can find her in Michelle's ETSY store) a little while ago and got her stuck in my MS punch!! I managed to get her out and surprisingly safe and sound so I've used her to make this little card


The image is coloured with promarkers, punched with MS doiley lace punch and matted on black card also punched with the same punch. I've used an A6 card blank for a change and added a little black gem in each of the corners and a black bow at the top.

A really quick and easy card but to be honest this image is such a cute little character I don't think she needs much else with all those lovely hearts around her!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Bee Crafty: Hearts
Gingerloft Challenge: The colour red
Guylou's inimitability: I {{heart}} you
One Stop Craft Challenge: Love is in the air
Stamp-n-Doodle: Red/Pink and white plus 1

Thanks for visiting today, hope you're having a good one
There's a new challenge today over at Michelle Perkett Studio so pop over and check it out, Jan and her lovely team of mermaids have set the theme of 'Your Choice' so its a pretty free and easy challenge you just need to use one of Michelle's beautiful stamps. If you don't have any of Michelle's images pop over to her groups on CDAC, PCP and SNR where you can pick up a fab freebie or two!!
Claire xx

Monday 14 February 2011

Dragon Luck

I love all the cute dragon stamps by Lisa Victoria at Sweet Pea stamps but this is one of my favourites, Dragon Luck is just adorable and I thought he'd be perfect for a Valentine card with a difference. I was ready for a change after all the pink and red so I've got for bright and zingy lime green for this card


I've coloured the dragon with promarkers and cut him out with one of my lovely nesties that came with my gorgeous parcel of blog candy from the lovely Audrey. Make sure you check out Audrey's blog as she not only has the most awesome blog candy but lots of eye candy too - her cards are gorgeous!!

I've inked around the image with some peeled paint distress ink and I decided to try this weeks sketch from Clean and Simple Stamping. I love clean and simple cards but really struggle with them so this sketch was a real help. I used some scrunchy lime green ribbon down the side of the card and added a little embellie which i made. I concertina folded some lime paper that I'd punched with a MS punch to make the rosette and then made a shink plastic heart button using white shrink plastic stamped with an Elusive Images heart stamp using peeled paint DI. I threaded a little white narrow ribbon through the holes in the shrink plastic button and tied it in a little bow.

I'm also entering this little dragon in the following challenges:
In a Sweet Pea Dream: Anything this time
 The Stamp Man Challenge which is Hearts
 Daring Cardmakers which is a recipe challenge : 2 items of ribbon/trim/ twine (i've used 2 ribbons), one or more buttons and at least one heart element. I hope its ok to combine the heart and button ladies.There is a fab prize from the Ribbon Reel this week at Daring Cardmakers too!!
Samuel Taylor Crafts: copic Chic/Promarker gal (I'm a promarker gal!!)

Thanks for visiting, have a good day. I'm not keen on Monday mornings and going back to work but its a short week for me this week as I'm using up some annual leave and I've got a long weekend off work yippppeeeeeeee!!
Claire xx

Sunday 13 February 2011

I've been a Bad Bah Humbugger

Can you believe we're half way though February and this is my first card for the Bah Humbug challenge?? Oh the shame!! In my defence I blame work and the gremlins that have infested the house this year but to redeem my self a little and hopefully get off the naughty step I've actually done the insert for this card too!


I love this cute little girl stamp from Stampavie, she's coloured with promarkers and matted on some pale blue card and then layered up on a lovely square doiley and popped on a pale blue hammered card blank. I've got loads of these as they are left overs from making our wedding invitations lol. I've added a little white satin bow to finish off.

I'm also entering this card in the following challenges:
Bah Humbug: Doileys
Craft Your Passion: anything goes
Totally Papercrafts: Clean and Simple

Thanks for popping by today.
Claire xx

Saturday 12 February 2011

Enchanted Love

This weeks Spotlight Image at Michelle Perkett Studio is the beautiful 'Enchanted Love' and that means you can get a fab 20% discount on this gorgeous image in Michelle's Etsy Store. I decided to make an acetate card for a change and to use greens and golds. I thought these colours would be great for a valentine card for a man.


I've coloured the acetate with Alcohol Inks (Pesto, Lettuce, butterscotch and ginger' and stamped an Elusive Images leaf randomly with copper Stazon. I've also edged the acetate with copper stazon. The image is coloured with promarkers, cut out and then glittered with glitters from the Autumn Medallions set of Pee Wee glitters. The copper ribbon is from Crafty Ribbons and inside the card i've used a Marianne doiley diecut so there is somewhere to write.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Bunny Zoe's Crafts: Love is in the air
Cards for Men: valentine/love
C.R.A.F.T: Valentine
Crafty Catz: Valentine/Love
Ooh La La: For someone special
Polka doodles: Thats Amore (my card is inspired by Frank Sinatra's "Fly me to the moon")
Papercrafting Journey: Love is in the air
Passion for Promarkers: Let there be love

thanks for popping by, sorry I'm a bit quiet lately i've been so busy at work and trying to get sorted out after the gremlins in the kitchen too so its pretty hectic at the minute. We are having the new flooring down soon and I decided it would be a good idea (???) to decorate the kitchen before the new floor was laid. Why does decorating always seem such a good idea until you start lol?? And why does decorating one room always mean that the whole house is a mess? I'm sure it will be worth it when its done though .
Claire xx

Friday 11 February 2011

Love is all around at Crafty Ann's Challenge Blog

Friday at last and i've got the day off work so I'm a very happy bunny. Today's card is my DT card for our new challenge over at Crafty Ann's Challenge blog where the theme is 'Love is all around'. Ann has some gorgeous new images that will be perfect for all our romantic cards but as my poor old printer conked out i've used one of my old favourites from Crafty Ann's  as I already had this image printed out.


The image is coloured with promarkers and distress inks, matted on red card and gold mirri card. The BP is from Graphicus and has been edged with gold ep. The sentiment is an Elusive images stamp. The flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts and the red and gold ribbon is from Crafty Ribbons.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Creative Card Crew: for a loved one
Cupcake: Seeing red
Passion for Promarkers: Let there be love 
Scrapbook Sisters: My Valentine
Sisterhood of Crafters: In love with valentines
Spoon Full of Sugar: Let's see some love
Top tip Tuesday: Frame it

Thanks for calling by today. If you have a minute pop over to my teamies blogs (links in sidebar) as they have some amazing cards to share .
Claire xx

Thursday 10 February 2011

Rainbow Lady's Challenge this week

This weeks challenge at Rainbow Lady's Challenge blog is all about 'LOVE' and we are sponsored by the fab Chi Chi Memories who kindly gave the DT some supercute images to play with. Here's my card using two cute images and a sentiment from the 'Meaning of Love' set of digital stamps. I haven't used traditional Valentine's Day colours as I wanted to use lots of pretty spring colours in this card.


I printed the flowers our twice in a row and coloured with promarkers before adding some clouds with tumbled glass distress ink. The adorable little bird is cut out and attached on a 'n' shaped strip of acetate to make him 'fly' over the flowers. The ribbon is, as usual from Crafty Ribbons. The sentiment was cut out with a spellbinders die and attached with a couple of pink brads.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Catch the Bug: Anything Goes
Crazy 4 Challenges: Valentine cards
Digital Tuesday: from the heart
I did it creations: Love is in the air
One stitch at a time: Anything Digi
Papertake Weekly: Have a heart
Sew Many Challenges: Anything goes

thanks for calling by,
Claire xx

Tuesday 8 February 2011

Sending a note/Valentine Challenge at Michelle Perkett Studio

Hi its time for a new challenge at Michelle Perkett Studio and this week our theme is 'Valentines/Passing a note. Michelle has some gorgeous images for you valentine cards in her Etsy store and I was really tempted to use the Love Letter Fairy but decided to use 'The Love Fairy' for my DT card. Michelle also has a supercute new Queen of Hearts image which I was hoping to use to make a Valentine tag but its currently stuck in a Martha Stewart punch lol.


I've coloured Love Fairy with promarkers and added clear Sparkle EP to her wings and red sparkle EP to the hearts although it doesn't show up too well in the pic. The ribbon is from Crafty Ribbons and the red card was cuttlebugged using a gorgeous embossing folder that I received in a wonderful parcel of blog candy from my cyber buddy Audrey (pop over to her blog as she has some more candy up for grabs too!!)

The flowers are actually from an arrangement of silk flowers that someone gave me ages ago, layered on to a red paper flower and some rose leaves from the same silk flower arrangement. The satin effect bp is from my stash.

I'm entering the Love Fairy in the following challenges:
Bee Crafty : Hearts
Crafty Emma's Challenge: Red and Romance
Crafty Purple Frog: Valentine's Day/Romance
Creative Inspirations Paint: Inspired by hearts
Sentimental Sunday: Valentines Day
The Crafty Pad: Love is in the Air

I hope you find time to join us in our challenge this week at Michelle Perkett Studio, if you don't have one of Michelle's images then you can pop over to her Etsy Store or pick up a freebie from one of Michelle's groups on SNR, CDAC or PCP.

Thanks for visiting today
Claire xx

Monday 7 February 2011

Purple grey and silver Sweet Pea

I haven't posted a Sweet Pea card for a while, I'm totally addicted to these gorgeous stamps though so I'm back with a very sparkly card for the challenge over at Sweet Pea Stampers where the theme is 'Glitz and Glamour'


The bp is from Graphicus, stamped with a large Elusive images border stamp, embossed with silver sparkle EP. The edges fo the bp have been distressed and embossed with the same EP and dots of stickles added at the corners. The sentiment is also a stamp from Eluisve images.

The main image is 'Coral Immersion' from ching chou kuik, shecoloured with promarkers and to add some glitz and glamour I used Stickums powder to emboss lines through her hair and on the chalked background. Once I'd heated the stickums powder I brushed over some mica powders in silver and purple. I love the effect although its difficult to see in the pic.

I'm also entering this card in the following challenges:
Charisma Cardz: No embellishments
Ellephantastic: Distressing + love
Little Claire's: Anything goes
Oldie but Goodie: Fairy/mermaid/magical beings (not sure how long i've had the sweet pea stamp but I've had the Elusive images border stamp for years)
Paperplay: Stamp it Out
Phindy's Place: embossing

Thanks for calling by today. I hope you're having a good start to the week. Its blowing a gale here today, I'm sat in my little office having my lunch and it sounds like the roof is going to blow away lol. Its a really old building so when the weather is like this it creaks and groans like nobody's business. Anyway I'd better get back to work while we've still got a roof :-)
Claire xx

Saturday 5 February 2011

Romance/Valentines challenge at Let's Ink It Up!

Where did January go???We couldn't believe how many amazing entries we had for our last challenge at Let's Ink It Up, it was hard to choose the winner and top 5 I can tell you!! Thanks so much to everyone who entered and congratulations to the winner and Top 5.  I can't wait to see everyone's creations for our new challenge, the theme is Romance/Valentines!


As always we have a wonderful sponsor with a fab prize for the winner! This month our sponsor is Whiff of Joy and they are offering the lucky winner a gorgeous stamp 'Willow with Champagne'!


I've gone a bit shabby chic (well definitely shabby lol) for my DT card this time around.

I've used some embossed cream card for the base and made a background using distress inks (antique linen, tea dye and spun sugar) overstamped with big swirly corner stamps from Elusive Images. The vellum is stamped with a script stamp using tea dye DI and the hearts are also made using stamps from Elusive Images. I stamped them with cream pigment ink and embossed with clear EP and then added more of the same distress inks.

The butterflies are made using an Anna Griffin punch. The ribbons, lace (dyed with distress inks), pearls and tassel are all from my stash. The flower is made using a strip of the leftover bp, punched with a MS punch and concertina'd before layering it over some lace.

I love making cards that start out as plain white card, and I really enjoyed making this although its not my usual style at all.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Allsorts: Love, love love
Artistic Stamper: Love is in the air
Bunny Zoe's Crafts: Love is in the air
Flourishes Timeless Tuesday: Valentines
If the Shoe Fits: Get your pink on
Polka Doodles: with hearts
Stampin for the Weekend: Valentines Day
The Shabby Tea Room: Get creative
Try it on Tuesday: Feel the luurve! (with a fab prize from One Stop Crafts)

Make sure you check out my teamies blogs, its the last challenge for the current DT and they've really pulled out all the stops and come up with the most amazing creations so pop over and leave them some love :-)
Thanks for popping by today, I hope our new challenge will put you in the mood for some love lol
Claire xx


Soulmates

This weeks Spotlight Image at Michelle Perkett Studio is 'Soulmates', a perfect image for an alternative Valentine card and this week you can get a fab 20% off this lovely image in Michelle's Etsy Store.


The image has been coloured with promarkers and for some added bling I used stickles for the bubbles. Once the stickles dried I covered them with glossy accents. Michelle finds the most beautiful quotations to accompany her images but I've used this one separately for a change.

I made the bp using peeled paint and tumbled glass distress inks and some starburst stains. I covered the wet background with a layer of bubble wrap while it was drying to give a bubbly, watery effect. The flowers were made from papers from the Artylicious 'Essence of Nature' cd.

To finish off I added some blue and green organza ribbon, an acetate goldfish made with a stamp from Joanna Sheen, coloured with orange tinkabella ink and some lime green memory thread 'seaweed'.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Cardmad Fairy: Romance
Fairy Fun Friday: for a Sweetheart
I love Promarkers: Anything goes + promarkers
Karber Weekly challenge: Something old + a digi (my goldfish stamp is my something old)
Sew Many Challenges: Anything goes
Simon Says Stamp: Love is in the air
Stamp Something: digi day

thanks for visiting today, you still have time to enter this weeks challenge over at
Michelle Perkett Studio!! The theme is 'Scallops and Frames' and the DT have come up with some amazing samples
Claire xx

News from LIIU!

Its a sad time for us at Let's Ink It Up as the first DT term is ending with today's challenge at Let's Ink It Up, what a wonderful talented bunch of ladies!! Its always sad to say goodbye and we're certainly going to miss our lovely DT ladies but I'd also like to give them a huge thank you for all their gorgeous creations over the past 6 months (OMG where did 6 months go??). Make sure you pop over to LIIU later and check out their creations for the new challenge .


Its not all bad news though, some of the DT girls are staying on and we also have some fabulously talented ladies joining us too!!! There were so many amazingly talented applications for the DT we're going to have 2 teams of 8 and our challenges are going to be every 2 weeks instead of monthly. It was so difficult choosing the new DT members as everyone was so talented. Anyway our new teams are

Team A

Suzanne (Team Leader and Challenge Owner)


Team B

Claire (Team Leader and Senior DT - thats me folks)

Team A will be kicking off with the first challenge of the new DT Term on 6th March (Sydney Australia time) but don't forget to check out the new challenge at LIIU today as our outgoing members are really going out with a bang and you'll be blown away by their creations :-)
Claire xx

Thursday 3 February 2011

We're Celebrating the Chinese New Year at Rainbow Lady's Challenge Blog

Hi, we're celebrating the start of the Year of the Rabbit over at Rainbow Lady's Challenge blog with a chinese New Year themed challenge. I love oriental themed cards so I've taken my inspiration for this weeks DT card from the oriental theme but you could interpret the challenge in different ways too so check out my teamies blogs for some fab ideas! Our sponsor this week is the lovely Joanna Sheen so don't miss out on the change of a fab prize!!


Apologies again for the dreadful pic, its really bleached the colours of this card unfortunately but I was trying to avoid too much reflection from the acetate. I've used black card for my base card and made the bp using oriental lily stamps from Joanna Sheen stamped and embossed on white card with black detail EP. Then swooshed in lots of tumbled glass distress ink spritzed with water on my craft mat and some pale blue glimmer mists for some shimmer.

The scene actually has a brayered background but its almost disappeared in the pic, the oriental lady stamp is from Clarity Stamps, the foliage stamps are from Autumn Leaves and the cute little rabbit is from CaroLines rubber stamps (from one of her gorgeous silhouette sets)

The curved acetate overlay is stamped with bamboo stamps from Joanna Sheen and embossed with black detail EP. I added some wide black satin ribbon from my stash and a paper flower I made ages ago.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Claudia and co: Unique fold (mmm does my acetate count? I hope so)
Crafty Cardmakers: Spotlight water
Daring Cardmakers: Year of the Rabbit
Kaboodle Doodles: Monochromatic
Papertake Weekly challenge: anything goes + flowers
The Shabby Tea Room: Just stamping
The Stamp Man: Oriental

thanks for visiting today and I hope the Year of the Rabbit is a  good one for you :-)
Claire xx

Tuesday 1 February 2011

A bit of sparkle

Well we're drying out now after the leak in the kitchen thank goodness, but the gremlins are still about, my printer is their latest target. I've been promising myself a new printer for a while so its a good excuse to get one, this time I think I'm going to get one with a CISS so If anyone can recommend one that will print on card I'd be grateful :-)

I love some messy crafting and I've been playing with starburst stains. I love their shimmer but they are so hard to photograph. I decided to use this beautiful image from Michelle Perkett, she's called 'Fire' and she's available in Michelle's etsy store here.


Fire is coloured with promarkers and I'added some ultrafine glitter to the trim on her clothes and the flowers. The layers of card and the K&Co bp are all embossed around the edges with gold EP. Red organiza ribbon is from my stash , the red butterfly is a die cut with a Marianne die. The flowers were made using some of the bps I made with starburst stains which were sloshed around liberally on copier paper and scrunched for some texture. Once the paper was dry I attached it to some grungepaper and let it dry. I wasn't sure if my little cuttlebug would cut it but I popped it through with a marianne flower die and it cut fine :-)

I'm entering Fire in the following challenges:
Crafty Cardmakers: Spotlight Water (my starburst stains)
Crafty Emma's Challenge: Bold and Bright
Just us girls: make your own flowers
Do you stack up? : Patterned paper
Paper Playtime: Digi Monday,, anything goes
Stampfairy: Homemade flowers

Thanks for calling by today, make sure you check out the new challenge at Michelle Perkett Studio, its Jan and her team's turn to host the challenge this week and I'm sure they'll have a fab theme as always. I'm back at work this week so things are a bit hectic but I had a little good news this morning - my Fairytale Fairies card made using Michelle's 'Juniper and Cecilia' was picked as one of this weeks 'Ginger Gems' over at Gingersnap Creations :-)

Claire xx
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