My lovely blogland friends

Friday 29 April 2016

Swirls and Flourishes at Polkadoodles

Good morning folks, our theme over at Polkadoodles is 'Swirls and Flourishes' so it's a nice easy one for you to play along. Of course we've got a fab  Polkadoodles prize for our lucky winner and you could also be awarded a Top 3 spot or even a 'Feather in your cap' so if you have time pop over and have a look.


For my card I've used the gorgeous brand new Magic Garden stamps and CD for this card. The stamps sold out in double quick time on C&C but you can preorder them at Polkadoodles. Nikky has a great deal on the stamps and CD too, you can find it here.

I die cut the card blank and the sentiment, adding some frantage EP for a vintage effect. I stamped the petals on vellum with Brilliance ink and cut out the flowers. Once they were cut out I used a ball tool to shape the petals and they layered them up, adding pearls to the centre.

I added some die cut swirls and flourishes which I'd embossed with Aged Gold embossing powder. I also added some pearls, a big organza bow topped with a pretty button from my stash.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Crafty Ribbons:  buttons
Creative Card Crew: embossing
Creative  Knockouts: lots of layers
Shopping our Stash: think ink
Sweet Stamps: anything goes
The Crafty Addicts: Anything goes/ ribbon

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

Shabby Chic at Graph'It Colouring Challenge

Good morning, our new challenge theme over at Graph'It Colouring challenge is 'Shabby Chic' and we're sponsored by Lemon Shortbread so we've got a fab prize for our lucky winner, There's also some Graph'It goodies up for grabs too thanks to Cult Pens!!


My image is from Lemon Shortbread, you can find a list of the Graph'It  colours used over on the Challenge blog. The papers are from mu stash.  I've just added lots of distressing with a craft knife and inked with a bit of Gathered Twigs distress ink.


I've added a seam binding bow, lots of paper flowers some lace and pearls to finish off.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Artistic inspirations: anything goes
Crafty Gals Corner: anything goes
Dare 2 B Artsy: polka dots
Little Miss Muffet: anything goes
The Corrosive Challenge: Girls, ladies, women

Thanks so much for visiting today
Claire xx

Sunday 24 April 2016

Anything Creative/Mixed Media Goes at We Love 2 Create

Good morning, it's challenge time over at We Love 2 Create and we've got an Anything Creative/Mixed Media Goes theme so it's a nice easy one for you to play along. As always we've got some lovely crafty goodies for our lucky winner, thanks to our generous sponsors Premium Craft Brands. 


I've had this box for ages, it was a gift box for a watch I received ages ago and it's been gathering dust for I thought I'd give it a bit of a makeover. I began with a coat of white gesso and then applied dictionary paper with matte gel medium. Once that was dry I coloured it with my PanPastels, you can find links to the colours I've used at the end of this post.


The focal image is from the Stampman, I stamped it on tissue paper with versamark and embossed with gold EP and applied it to my box with Matte gel medium. To give the wings a bit of extra sparkle I stamped the image on self adhesive sparkly acetate and applied PanPastels to the back of the acetate, you can see the effect a little better in this pic.


I added some shadows with Paynes Grey PanPastels and then stamped some words here and there with Memento Teal Zeal ink. I've added some embellishments that came in my monthly treat from Craft Box and a little lace and some faux gold pearls to the side of the book box.



I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

A beautiful mess: anything goes
Craft Rocket: Favourite colour combo
Crafty Catz: Add lace
Creative Fingers: Anything goes
Fab'n'Funky: Winged things
Frilly and Funkie: It's not easy being green
Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers: E is for embossing

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

Claire xx

Thursday 21 April 2016

Song Thrush from Chocolate Baroque

Good morning, how's your week going? It's been quite nippy here but it's nice to get up in the morning and see some sunshine and hear the birds singing. I've used one of my favourite birdy stamps Song Thrush  from Chocolate Baroque to make this card, it's one of the Cling Singles Range and its such a lovely image.


I coloured the image with Graph'It markers and layered it up on white card, distressing all the edges with a craft knife and running a black inkpad around the edges for a little definition.

To make the background I used shades of pink, blue and lilac distress ink misted with water and then splashed darker shades of ink over with a paint brush. Next  I added some texture with a stencil and glossy gel medium. I sprinkled glamour dust over the gel for  some sparkle.
To finish off I've added lace, ribbon, pearls and a little resin flower.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:
Brown Sugar: Anything goes
Card Mania: Spring
Come and Get It: things with wings
Craft your Passion: Anything goes
Little Claire's : Spring colours
Our Crafty Corner: anything goes
The Crazy Challenge: Spring is here
The Ribbon Girls: Anything goes with an image

Thanks so much for visiting today
Claire xx

Friday 15 April 2016

Springtime Flowers at Graph'It Colouring Challenge

Good morning folks, thanks goodness its Friday! I haven't had the best of weeks so I'm pleased it's nearly weekend so I can escape to my craft room and have a play. Today's project is my DT make for our new challenge over at Graph'It Colouring Challenge where our theme is Springtime Flowers, sponsored by Pattie's Creations digi store


 I've coloured up the Watering Can with Daisies image too and gone for the pastel colour palette, you can find a full list of the colours I've used on the challenge blog. We've got a couple of gorgeous colour palettes to inspire you, I've used this one.



Once I'd coloured my image up I added a tiny bit of Maimieri Glassy Gel medium to the water splash on the ground and layered it up on some old favourite backing papers from my stash. I've added some ribbon, pearls and a paper flower to finish off.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Craft your passion: Anything goes
Star Stampz: use a digi
Southern Girls: Patterned Paper free for all

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


Thursday 14 April 2016

Happy Birthday Chocolate Baroque

Good morning crafty friends. This post is a little photo heavy as I've been a busy bee making this project to celebrate Chocolate Baroque's 5th Birthday. Pop on over to the challenge blog as there is a competition with a Spring theme and prizes to be won! I can't believe we're celebrating 5 years of Chocolate Baroque lovelinessjj. I've been lucky enough to be on the DT for 5 years in June. As the saying goes time flies when you're having fun and I always have fun with Chocolate Baroque stamps. This concertina book  is my DT project for this week and it uses lots of my favourite stamps.



I began by cutting 4 squares of white card (12.5cm) and lining them up to stamp the main flower images (from Poppy Meadow) and masked them with Pebeo masking fluid. Next  creating a distress ink background using shades of blue and green inks, misting with water and swooshing my card through the inky puddle. Once this was dry I stamped lots of foliage from Wild Meadow using different shades of green ink. 

I removed the masking fluid and coloured the flowers with coloured pencils. I decided my meadow scene needed some butterflies and a touch of magic too. The butterflies were stamped onto the project and also onto some of the lovely sparkly self adhesive acetate which is perfect for wings using Black Stazon ink. I cut out the butterfly wings and removed the backing before dusting over with mica powders. I layered the butterfly wings up with silicone glue.


I stamped the fairies with black archival ink and gave them some sparkly wings too. You can find the full fairy collection here


Lastly I made a cover for my concertina book using distress inks and mica powder applied to copier paper. While still wet I crumpled the paper up and left it to dry. Once this was dry I used it to cover two greyboard squares, one for the front and one for the back. On the front cover I stamped another fairy using black archival ink. It can be a bit tricky to stamp on such an uneven surface but if you do get any little areas that don't stamp properly you can just use a black fineliner pen to fill in the gaps.



To assemble my little book I glued my 4 squares onto a long strip of paper that I'd folded into four panel concertina. I attached the ribbon to the inside of the back cover and then glued the inner section to both front and back covers.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:
Addicted to Stamps: pastel colours and a stamp
Deep Ocean: spring is in the air
Dragonfly Dreams: spring is in the air
Paper Shelter: Flowers everywhere
Really Reasonable Ribbon: spring with ribbon/trim
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: April showers bring May Flowers

There is so much inspiration over on the Chocolate Baroque Blog it's well worth a visit if you have time. Talking of time, I'd better go as it's time to go to work
Happy Crafting and a big thank you for visiting today
Claire xx

Sunday 10 April 2016

Anything Creative/Mixed Media Goes at We Love 2 Create

Good morning folks, we've got a new challenge starting at We Love 2 Create and our theme is 'Anything Mixed Media/Creative Goes' so there's lots of potential for crafty fun! As always our sponsors Premium Craft Brands have some lovely goodies up for grabs and you don't have to use our products to play along. My teamies have made some gorgeous projects so if you have a minute it's well worth a visit.


For my DT project I've altered an MDF blank using lots of my favourite products (you can find links at the end of this post). I began with a coat of white gesso and then once that was dry I applied some grey PanPastels. Next I added texture paste through a Dutch Doobadoo brick stencil and once that was dry added some colour with Raw Umber and Burnt Sienna PanPastels and fixed with with my homemade fix spray (made from matte medium and water)


To decorate my little project I made lots of paper flowers using some of the gorgeous new Stamp Soup stamps from Polkadoodles, stamped on dictionary paper and coloured using Pearl PanPastels. I cut the flowers out, scrunched them up and layered them to create my blooms. I also made some bunting using freebie stamps that I've had for ages, the cute little blue birds some from the same set. I created a little scene for behind the 'O' using stamps from Chocolate Baroque (Home Sweet Home) and coloured with PanPastels


I added some Dutch Doobadoo fencing, popped on my flowers adding little pearls and diamantes in the centres and punched some leaves from paper coloured with panpastels. I've added a littel brass key charm, a seam binding bow topped with a little fabric covered brad. To finish off I'added some moss, pretty little 'berries' and of course my stamped bunting and birdies.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:
Creative Artiste: Anything goes (options chipboard/stencils/flowers)
Mod Squad: Show us your background
Simply Papercraft: anything goes
Stamps and Stencils: Trash to Treasure (my trash is dictionary pages)
That's Crafty: all things bright and beautiful

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

Yellow Blue and White at Fashionable Stamping Challenges

Hi there, we've got a new challenge starting at Fashionable Stamping Challenges and our theme this month is Yellow Blue and White, chosen by our lovely boss lady Shirley. We've got a fab prize from Flonzcraft up for grabs for our lucky winner so ink up your stamps and play along. Don't forget though, we're a stamping challenge so no digistamps are allowed. My teamies have some fabulous projects to inspire you so it's well worth a visit to the challenge blog,


This was a very quick card, I created a distress ink background using shades of blue and green and then once it was dry added some stencilling with texture paste and one of my favourite Crafters Workshop stencils. I stamped the image (from Flonzcraft Sweet Bird of Love set) with versamark and embossed with clear EP to create a resist and then applied more distress ink. I layered the focal image up over a spellbinders die cut. To finish off I've added a die cut sentiment, a little bow and a yellow flower.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

A beautiful mess: anything goes
Artistic Inspirations: Anything goes
Crafting for all seasons: die cuts/punches
Crafting from the Heart: Anything goes
Creative Fingers: anything goes

Thanks so much for visiting today
Claire xx

Friday 8 April 2016

Floral Frenzy at Polkadoodles

Good morning my lovelies, a quick post before I rush off to work to share my project for our Floral Frenzy challenge at Polkadoodles. We've got a fab prize up for grabs and lots of inspiration from my lovely teamies too.


For my DT project I've used lots of papers from the gorgeous new Lavender Tea collection and a mix of stamps from Lavender Tea and Lemonade Fizz (both part of the fabulous Stamp Soup range), you can find them all at Polkadoodles

I  covered an mdf blank with one of the pretty papers and distressed with a little Gathered Twigs distress ink. Next I've stamped all the flower elements on the papers with versamark and embossed with white embossing powder. I cut them out and layered them up, shaping the petals as I went along and adding little pearls in the centres. I also stamped some of the fronds on acetate and embossed with a sparkly silver EP. I layered them up on my mdf, adding a stamped sentiment and more pearls with some ribbon from my scrap box.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Crafts Galore Encore: Anything goes
Little Miss Muffet: anything goes
Southern Girls: Anything goes
Star Stampz: Flowers flowers flowers
Wonderful Wednesdays: Anything goes

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

Wednesday 6 April 2016

GDT at Crafting by Designs

Good morning folks, I was lucky enough to be chosen as a Spotlight Winner over at Crafting by Designs in January and so I'm lucky enough to be doing a Guest Design spot for the new challenge which is 'She's so Beautiful'. Pop over to the challenge blog to check out the DT's beautiful projects to inspire you and find out all the details.


For my GDT project I've made a wallhanging using one of my favourite stamps 'Jing' from Prima. I stamped her on Ultimate Graphic paper from Polkadoodles and coloured her up with Graph'It Markers, adding some glitter to the flowers in her hair.


I created some layers for the background, starting with corrugated cardboard given a coat of black gesso and then highlighted with some gilding flakes.  The net layer was a blend of shades of Violet and Magenta PanPastels, I attached the image and overstamped with layers of various Indigo Blu stamps using Memento Inks in Elderberry and Lilac Posies. Next I added some stencilling using white texture past using stencils from Crafters Workshop and Indigo Blu, I left the stencilling white as it was looking a bit dark and added some highlights with gilding flakes.

I used some cosmic shimmer UTEE in the corners, its really shimmery in real life but doesn't show up too well in the pic. 


Last but not least I finished off with ribbon and some embellishments from my March and January CraftBox, I gilded the leaves and the twirly bits of the flowers with gilding flakes and coloured the fabric flower with distress inks and added some of the pretty iridescent pearls here and there.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Dream Valley: Girlie
Lemon Shortbread: Anything goes
Incy Wincy: Use your favourite colouring medium (Graph'It markers and PanPastels)
Recycle repurpose, reinvent: anything goes (recycled packaging card)
Retro Rubber: Anything goes
Sparkles Forum: Make it girly
Stamping Sensations: one for the girls

Thanks so much for visiting today
Claire xx

Tuesday 5 April 2016

All things Spring at Vintage Stamping Challenges

Hello there, how's your Monday going? I've been running late all day (nothing new there lol) but better late than never here's my post for our new challenge over at Flonzcraft Vintage Stamping Challenges where the theme is 'All things Spring'. As always there's a Flonzcraft voucher up for grabs but remember we are a stamping challenge so no digistamps are allowed.


I've made a large tag which looks a bit dark in the pics so you'll have to use your imagination a bit lol. I began by stamping and masking the image, one of my all time favourites from Flonzcraft, you can find here here in the 'Countrylife Pastoral' set. Then I got to work stencilling around the image using texture poaste and a Dutch Doobadoo brick stencil and some leaves and flowers from Indigo Blu.  I added some colour with distress inks and PanPastels and then removed the masking fluid to colour the image using distress markers



I've also added some die cut branches, a little birdie and some paper flowers and berries.



To finish off I added a little birds nest, some seam binding ribbon that I'd coloured with distress ink and some little pearls.

I'm entering this tag in the following challenges:
Artistic Stampers: all things distressed
Come and Get It: Tag you're it
Dragonfly Journeys: Tag you're it
Fantasy Stampers: in the Springtime
Fairy Tale: spring

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

Friday 1 April 2016

Cream and Sugar at Polkadoodles

Good morning my lovelies, it's inspiration week at Polkadoodles where our theme is 'Cream and Sugar'. As always there's a fabulous prize from Polkadoodles up for grabs and now as well as awarding Top 3 honours some of our talented entrants will be receive a brand new 'Feather in my Cap' pop on over to the challenge blog and find out all the details!


I've made a card using sugar and cream colours using some of the amazing Stamp Soup clear stamps, I'm having so much fun with these at the minute, I can't put them down. The stamps I've used are from Lavender Tea and Lemonade Fizz, stamped on cream card with Memento Tuxedo Black ink, lots of masking and then coloured with my Lyra Pencils.  I added a bit of a shadow around the blooms with grey pencisl. 


Once I'd created the flowers I masked them and splashed distress ink over the background and added a bit of frantage. Next came the  dragonflies that I'd stamped on vellum using more of the Stamp Soup clear stamps and embossed with a sparkly white EP.. Embossed some of the Stamp Soup fronds with gold EP and added the  vellum wings and some little pearls in the centres. 

The image has been layered up on kraft card and then over a background made by crumpling up some cream card and rubbing over with distress inkpads in Worn Lipstick and Tea Dye.

To finish off I've added lace, ribbon and faux pearls.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Artistic Inspirations: anything goes
Come and Get It: In the garden
CRAFT: create your own background paper
Lemon Shortbread: anything goes
The Ribbon Girls: Any image 

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

Easter Treats at Graph'It Colouring Challenge

Good morning folk, well I haven't posted all week and now I've got three posts in one day lol. This one is my GT card for our Easter Treats challenge at Graph'It Colouring Challenge where our sponsor this time is All Dressed Up


I've used an image from our sponsor, it's called Summer Fayre and I really enjoyed colouring it using lots of bright colours. We've got some colour palettes to inspire you over on the challenge blog and of course lots of inspiration from my lovely teamies so if you have time do pop over and have a look.

I've added faux stitching with a white Graph'It Shake pen and layered the image up over a distress ink background, adding a little lace, ribbon and a little lilac button.


I'm entering this card in the following challenges@

Creative Knockouts: Outside fun
Southern Girls: Anything goes

Thanks so much for popping by
Claire xx

Spring Flowers at Eclectic Ellapu

Good morning folks, I've chosen the Pink Team's theme for our new challenge over at Eclectic Ellapu this month and I've picked the theme of Spring Flowers. We haven't had a cold winter here in the UK but it's been very grey so it's lovely to see a little sunshine and the flowers starting to peek through. Our lovely DT have lots of inspiration for you and the Purple Team have a fab challenge theme too so if you have a minute pop over to the challenge blog and have a look around.


For my DT project I've made a large tag using lots of my favourite stamps from Chocolate Baroque.
To create the background I used matte medium to adhere some scraps of dictionary paper and some die cut shapes to my base tag, next a coat of watered down gesso and once that was dry came acrylic paints in yellow, green and pale blue



I splashed on some Twinkling H2o paints here and there and highlighted areas with gilding wax


I stamped the bluebells, crocuses, pussy willow and catkins (all from Chocolate Baroque's Spring Foliage set) and painted them with my Twinkling H20s, I used a white Graph'It Shake pen for the pussy willows. I also stamped the little birdie image from Chocolate Baroque's Spring Bird Crocus stamp set onto scrap card and again painted with H2os before cutting out and popping onto my tag with 3d foam pads.



To finish off I've added lace, ribbon, a little brass butterfly charm and a paper flower. 

I'm entering this tag in the following challenges:

Crafting for all Seasons: die cuts or punches
Fantasy Stampers: in the Springtime
Ooh La La: Feathered Friends
The Crafty Addicts: Anything goes/Spring

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

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