Ellieskeepers Creations

Totally Papercrafts Challenge

2012-01-27T07:36:00.008Z

This week Totally Papercrafts challenge theme has been choosen by Dora, and she has chosen a nice easy one -

pearls and lace

I used this gorgeous image, Pricilla Pie, from Saturated Canary and coloured her in using my promarkers. I added some teeny flat backed pearls to her hair, and some larger black ones to the image and the punched flowers. The dp is Bo Bunny, and I punched the flowers out of white cardstock and stamped a swirl stamp over it. Finally some black lace trim to finish it.

We are sponsored by Crafty Emma's Store

Challenges:
Saturated Canary - punches and dies
Moving along with the times - blooming marvellous
Paperplay - lovely lace
Winter Wonderland - Swirls and pearls

The Sugar Bowl #76

2012-01-26T09:00:00.000Z

Our very own Sugar Mama, Gayle, has set the sketch over at the Sugar Bowl challenge this week, and the optional extra is paper piecing.

One lucky winner of this challenge will have their choice of 4 stamps (or 6 stamps, if we reach 100+ entries) either from the new release or any stamps from the Sugar Nellie range at

Here is the sketch ...

And my card ...

I flipped the sketch and used this gorgeous Manga, Dressing Up Games. I coloured the image in using my promarkers and paper pieced the jumper. The dp is MME Stella Rose, and I added some flat backed pearls that I coloured using my promarkers and some fab orange ribbon. Orange isn't my colour of choice, but this canme in a bundle I bought, and it goes so well with these papers. I added some teeny pearls from SU for the necklace.

It's Thursday ...

2012-01-26T04:05:00.003Z

and that means its nearly the weekend!! It seems to have been a long week this week, and my mojo has gone walk about big time!

I have a real dislike, closer to a hate than dislike to be honest, of the colour pink. Having 2 girls I wage a constant battle against pink - clothes, shoes, toys, bedroom(that was definitely refused!!) and then people 'help' by asking for cards with pink on them!!! My Mum (love her to bits, but please WHY pink???!!!!) asked me to make a card for a farmer's wife in the village, just for her to pop a note in ... Custard instantly popped into my mind - what better image for a cheep farmer's wife???!! She is coloured in pink, lilac, laendar and blue grey promarkers and flexmarkers. The cardstock has been embossed using some of my embossing folders, the swirl is a Whimsey die and the flowers from Duckpond ... love Karen's flower packs. I added some purple gingham and some stickles to finish ... Custard's pink spots have had rock candy stickles applied just to make them sparkle, which they don't on the photo - typical! I added a heart button off a top that Beth has grown out of to the centre of the flowers.
Challenges:
Papertake - Happy Highlights
Stamps+fun=creativity - sketch
Passion for promarkers - recycle something
Simon Says Stamp - anything Goes
Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes
For Fun - farm animals
Crafts and Me - pink and sparkly (trust me for me this is PINK!!)
I love Promarkers - purple and pink
My mum's Craft Shop - Flowers
Everybody-art-challenge - swirls
Oldie But a goodie - have a heart (button)

And something more to my liking!! I made a tag out of kraft cardstock and stamped the Hero Arts notebook stamp on. It was then distressed using fired brick, aged mahogany and walnut stain distress inks. The envelope and tag inside (created using a Memory box tag and stamp) were also treated to the same distressing. I spritzed the tag with Tattered Angels gold glimmer mist and heat dried it. I stamped the envelope with BoBunny stamps, and added a heart and sentiment. The hearts and sentiment are from TH Hearfelt set and I added an adage ticket on a pin to finish. The seam binding was stained using fired brick and aged mahogany inks.

Challenges:
Anything Goes - for the one I love
Try it on Tuesday - in the mail
Stampman - use red

WOYWW

2012-01-25T04:01:00.024Z

My little one has had tonisllitus for a week ... but will be back at school today ... either that or I will be rocking quietly in a corner LOL!!!

As it is Wednesday it is time to share my crafting space with blogland ans have a snoop at everyone else's courtesy of the wonderful Julia.

So this is my desk as I left it last night ...

I altered a file folder a couple of weeks ago with the aim of using it as a colour reference. I love Design Seeds palettes and have a board of them on Pinterest but I find it time consuming looking at them on the ipad ... I get slightly distracted by all the fabulous colour palettes and photos. So I have printed out my favourite ones to stick in the folder ... I just need to organise them into colour groups!!! Let that fun commence!

And here are the things from the pat couple of weeks on my desk all finished ...
The bunting ...

- the sewing machine and cat survived the bunting making, and I had lots of fun decorating the flags with flowers and butterflies.

And Ellie LOVES it!!

And the wedding invites ...

We went with the organza bow, but off to the side, and larger pearls, and ivory (although they are more white to me!!). All finished and ready to go when the envelopes arrive! And I have been paid to make them as well as for the materials if you see what I mean ... NEC fund added to :)

Its My Party

2012-01-24T07:25:00.004Z

With Beth on the mend from her bout of tonisllitus I have found a bit of time to get in my craft room and make a card or two! I am still in the 'inking up the oldies' mode so ...

here is a fab LOTV stamp that has been rather lacking in ink recently!! I just love this little girl .. .so like Beth on a bad day!!! You can really feel her strop! She is coloured in promarkers and flex pens and the dp is from Stampin' Up. I added glamour dust to her tiara and dress. I distressed the edges and to give them more of an aged feel, embossed them with old paper embossing powder, before distressing the edges with vintage photo ink. The flowers are misted and inked to add some aging, and i added some seam binding and a ticket sentiment. Finally some pearls for that vintage look.

Challenges:
Craft your days away - distressing
Craft your passion - aqua, blue and brown
Creative stamp friends - old fashioned/antique
Stamp with Fun - cute vintage
Simon Says Stamp and show - song title (Its my Party)
Sketch Saturday - sketch
2 Sisters - embossing
Papertake Weekly - Happy Highlights

And have you seen this amazing candy up for grab ... read all about it here.

All you need is love ...

2012-01-23T14:22:00.000Z

Here's the Valentine's card I have made for hubby ... very simple (not like him at all!!!). I used the frebie stamp off this month's Craft Stamper, and stamped it onto red card and cut it out. I used the heart as a template to make the aperature and then stamped the heart again inside just in black. The sentiment is from Penny Black.

Challenges:
Cupcake Craft - All you need is love
Simon Says Stamp and Show - song Title (All you need is love)
Less is More - aperature (alot less now Beth isn't helping me :))
Oh Lala Creations - seeing double
Make it Monday

Crafting Time DT ... Buttons and Bows

2012-01-23T07:00:00.001Z

This week's theme over at Crafting Time this week is buttons and bows. I instantly thought of haberdashery and sewing ...

I covered a square peice of white cardstock in Tim Holtz tissue tape and then distressed it using aged mahogany and vintage photo distress inks. The elements from the Tim Holtz stamp set were stamped onto cardsock using black archival ink and distressed using spiced marmalade, fired brick and aged mahogany distress inks before being cut out. I added this fab ball trim ribbon, a button that I stained in cranberry and red pepper alcohol ink, and some little bows to finish.

I also made a collage tag using the same stamp set.

Having stamped some of the elements in brushed corduray and fired brick distress inks, I distressed the tag using tea dye, vintage photo and aged mahogany distress inks. I stamped the manikin in aged mahogany distress ink and added a bow. The wooden button was roughly stained with aged mahogany distress ink and some twine threaded through and tied into a bow. Finally I added some of that fab ball trim ribbon, and some seam binding stained in aged mahogany distress ink.

And as I am thinking about buttons and bows ... I love simple, quick, embossed cards ...

I used my sizzix embossing folder to create the texture for this card. The mannikin is a freebie stamp from a craft magazine, and I cut it out. I added some flat backed pearls, black gingham, a big bow with a button at the centre and a pin. Very simples.

Challenges:
Make it Monday
CAS-ual Friday - black and white
Allsorts - needles and pins
Crafty Catz - buttons and bows

Alice

2012-01-22T08:18:00.003Z

Well we survived last night ... 3 highly excited little girls camped out in the front room ... and talked and giggled until well past my bedtime!!! So we are all up and slightly less than bright and bushy tailed this mornin, and off to Knowsley Safari Park. But before we go here is a card to share ...

I used Alice from Krista's fab Saturated Canary range of digis, and coloured her using my promarkers and flexmarkers. The dp is MME Stella Rose and I used my nesties to cut the circle mat out. I cut the image out and added her offset onto the circle. Finally some ribbon and punched flowers with flat backed pearls at the centre.

Challenges:
Saturated Canary - dies and punches
Do you stack up - patterned papers
Stamp with fun - sketch
For Your inspiration - photo
Winter Wonderland - easel card
Alphabet- y for you choose
Addicted to Stamps - Summer in Winter

OMG ... its pink!!

2012-01-21T10:14:00.001Z

Beth is still struggling with her tonsillitus ... and I may have made the fatal mistake of saying "yes" to her pleas ... "can I craft with you Mummy?" ...

She wanted pink ... and ink ... in fact lots of both!!! So we have created this card! We cut the aperature in the card blank and the cardstock together (I placed, she turned the handle on the CB). Beth inked up the WMS pattern up and I stamped it. I inked up the aperature in spun sugar, worn lipstick and festive berries DIS and Beth went round the outside of the card blank in festive berries ... she likes using the TH tool! I was allowed to stamp the fairy and foliage (phew) but she insisted on glamour dusting and stickling ... perhaps a bit too enthusiatically - fortunately most tapped off!! Finally some pink cardstock with the red ribbon Beth insisted went on.

We have Ellie's best friend coming for a sleepover later and a trip to Knowsley Safari park tomorrow so I have a baking session to do now and some organising of the front room so they can camp out there tonight ... oh and I need to find the paracetamol ... just in case!!!!!

Challenges
Less is more - aperature ... not so much of the less (but Beth is only 5!)
Just Us Girls - red, pink and white
Waltzing mouse sketches -sketch (sorry I forgot the sentiment!)

Basic Grey Challenge

2012-01-21T07:17:00.003Z

The theme for the Basic Grey challenge this time is favourite things ... ohhhh I have sooo many!!!!

The favourite things I picked were Sugar Nellie stamps, distress inks, Basic Grey papers, flat backed pearls and seam binding, oh do I LOVE seam binding!!

I coloured Best Day Ever from Sugar nellie in using disttress inks, before layering her up on to my favourite Basic Grey pad EVER ... Wisteria. I love this pad, all my favourite colours in one place!! I added some pale blue seam binding, and some flat backed pearls to finish it off.

We are really lucky to be sponsored again this year by Simon Says Stamp ...

Who are offering a $25.00 voucher.

(PP charges apply)

Challenges:
ABC - H for Happy Birthday
Crazy4 - a child's birthday card

Pom pom

2012-01-20T08:44:00.005Z

Having got fed up with wedding invitations last night I made a quick(ish!!) card. I am trying to ink up stamps I haven't used for a while, as well as inking up those ih ave bought and not inked yet!! Might be stamping for some time LOL!!

I coloured this cute, and very neglected LOTV fairy in using promarkers and flexmarkers, and cut it out using my nesties. The dp is DCWV and I added some organza ribbon, some flowers and stamped the sentiment directly onto the dp.

Challenges:
Paper Pretties - glitter
I love promarkers - anything goes
Try it on Tuesday - do you believe in fairies
Moving along with the times - things with wings
Charisma Cardz - CAS
Creative craft - blue
Little Miss Muffet - blue and cream
For Fun - get well soon
Everybody-Art-challenge - sketch
PaperPlay - ribbons every which way
Wishcraft- neglected stash

Totally Papercrafts Challenge

2012-01-20T07:14:00.007Z

Friday ... oh I do love Fridays!!! This week's Totally Papercrafts challenge is to make your own flowers, no shop bought ones!!!

Our sponsor this week is the lovely Melissa from Meljen Designs and she will be giving one lucky entrant a choice of 4 Digi images !! Woo Hoo ! :-)

I made rosettte flowers using my TH sizzix dies and some Tilda and Co paper. I layered the largest and smallest up to make raised flower. The fancy edge was made using TH bracket die, and the off cut was added to the blue cardstock to make a border. Finally a PB sentiment and some flat backed pearls ... very simple and easy this week.

Positively pampered

2012-01-19T10:44:00.001Z

My baby is off school with a high temperature and a sore throat, so I have sneaked a little crafting in while she has had a sleep ...

I adore this LOTV image, just love her wings! This is only her 2nd inking *hangs head in shame ... she needs to be loved! She is coloured using my promarkers and flexmarkers. The dp is DCWV, and the flourish is TH, everything else is from my stash. I glamour dusted her wings and stamped the sentiment straight onto the dp ... feling brave!!

Challenges:
Lili's little fairies - lavendar and lace
Simon Says Stamp - sketch
Creative Inspiration - favourite colour and white
Paper Pretties - glitter
I love promarkers - anything goes
Try it on Tuesday - do you believe in fairies
Moving along with the times - things with wings
Fab n Funky - neglected stamp, flourishes and lace
My Mum's craft shop - favourite colour combo

Whats on your Workdesk ... bunting!!

2012-01-18T04:31:00.006Z

Its that time of the week .. .the ritual snoop across the crafty blogs of blogland, led and guided by the amazing Julia. You know when you see something and think "I'm not paying that for that, I can make it for half the price!"? Well I had one of those moments ... And this frosty, cold Wednesday morning finds me clearing up my desk after making bunting ... yes you read that right ... bunting!!!

This was my desk last night after pilates and before a glass of wine ... See lots of bunting, made out of felt! We went to the German Market in Manchester before Christmas, just after having done the girls' room up and saw this gorgeous bunting ... but it was £25 for about 2 metres, way to expensive for what we would need to do. And that irriating voice in my head said ..."I could make that for half the price" Well its cost me £20 for 8 metres so alot cheaper really!! I ordered the felt Sunday morning from Sew Sweet and it was here Tuesday morning ... how quick is that, and its a lovely thickness and quality.

There is just rather alot of it to sew!! And it keeps wrapping round the machine and pins fall out, and the cat tries to sit on my knee!!!!! But it is now done and folded neatly ready for stage 2 ... decoration!! I am gonig to use the off cuts to make flowers and birds and butterflies using my dies and sew them on ...this could be quite a long term project LOL!!!

The machine has now been returned to its shelf and my desk is ready for a bit of crafting this morning after the school run and before I start work. I have quite a few wedding invitations to crack on with ...!!

Tuesday's offerings

2012-01-17T12:58:00.000Z

Here are a couple f creations made last night and this morning ...

First up, a tag I started yesterday morning and finished last night. The tag is inked in distress inks and glimmer mists, before being stamped all over with the Love definition from a TH set. The hearts are also a TH stamp, from Heartfelt. I stamped them, distressed them and cut them out, before crackle painting them. The tag, hearts and grungepaper letters (distressed with DIs) have all been swiped with a gold dabber. I inked up the charm using alcohol inks, and then stamped part of the heart over it and wiped the ink off. It doesn't show as well as it could, but it looked daft with white gloss paper behind, and didn't show up at all on black ... so peer closely!!! Finally some seam binding stained with black soot DI.

Challenges:
The Stampman - red
Simon Says Stamp n Show - anything but a card
Creative Card Crew - seeing red
Grungy Monday - Tim Holtz Technique Challenge, August 2008

And onto a House Mouse card ... I haven't played with my meeces for ages ... think I might have forgotten how to colour them! The image is coloured in warm and cool greys and black. I embossed the white cardstock using my sizzix embossing folder (must find its name!!) and then added lots of black and white embellishments and a big bow. I wrote the sentiment myself.

Challenges -
House mouse and friends - black and white
Passion for Promarkers - humour
Ladybug Ink - bows
Tuesday Throwdown - neutral colours
Papertake weekly - buttons, bows, bling and blooms

Three little girls

2012-01-16T08:10:00.002Z

I did some birthday cards yesterday for 3 little girls' up and coming birthday .. .so pink had to be involved :(

This is one of Sugar Nellie's new releases, Best Day Ever, and she is coloured using distress inks. The dp is Tilda and co and I added some seam binding and some punched flowers with pearls at their centre.

This is another of Friday's Sugar Nellie release, Birthday Princess, and again she is coloured in distress inks. I used cardstock, and embossed the white panel with my sizzix folder. Some more seam binding, a layered flower and some pearls. I put glossy accents on the balloon. This is going to be the little girl I mind's 2nd birthday card.

Finally one of my favourite Sugar Nellie's Rosie, again coloured in distress inks. The cardstock is embossed using my d'vine swirls and sizzix folders. I added some gingham. punched flowers and pearls. The wings and rose are stickled using rock candy stickles.

Challenges:
Bunny Zoe - photo inspiration
Ribbon Girl - blue and pink
Sentimental Sunday - ribbon
Stamptacular Sunday - texture
Pollycraft - ribbon, sparkle and flowers
make it monday
Charisma Cardz - Happy Birthday
Winter Wonderland - birthday wishes

Sunday's offerings

2012-01-15T14:48:00.000Z

I had a bit of a crafting session yesterday ...

I coloured this fab LOTV image, my favourite by far!!, in using promarkers and flexmarkers. Her dress and tiara are painted using Tattered Angels glitter glam. The dp is Basic Grey Wisteria, and I used my SU scallop punch. I added some thin satin ribbon and flat backed pearls. Finally the sentiment was stamped in white ink.

Challenges:
Lili's Little fairies - favourite stamp
CRAFT - celebration
Charisma Cardz - happy birthday
Winter Wonderland - birthday wishes
Stampin for the Weekend - out with the old (stamp and papers)
Sketch Saturday - sketch

For this card I tried something new for me. I painted over the dp using white acyrlic paint, and then stamped directly onto it, to give it that vintage, shabby feel. Its also a fab way of using those papers that might be a bit bright or garish! I added some lace and flowers from WOC and Hobbycraft to finish it off

Challenges -
CES - vintage dahling
Fabulous Friday - use paint
Wild orchid challenge - Anything Goes

And finally a tag - I love making tags! I stamp TH's Air Travel stamps in faded jeans and forest moss DIs, and sepai inks. I distressed over tsi using tea dye and vintage photo, and broken china DIs. Finally I stamped the text and plane in versafine. I stained some seam binding and added a 'blackpool Tower' charm ... I know its the Eiffel Tower but my little ones call it Blackpool Tower!1
Challenges:
2 Sisters - use metal
DutchDare - one for the boys
Just us Girls - collage stamping

inky inky

2012-01-14T09:37:00.000Z

Much as I love my images and pens, I do like to get inky and messy too ... so I thought I would have a go at combining the 2!! I love the effect I got the other night from combing orange, red and black to create a card using TH stamps (you can find it here), so I had another go, but this time rather than using a sentiment stamp I used a Sugar Nellie image.

I used Goth Girl and coloured her using my promarkers. I used spiced marmalade, fired brick, aged mahogany and black soot DIs to create the background on the image and card blank. The stamps are from a TH set, and I added gingham and satin ribbon, and a heart covered in fired brick distress stain and rock candy crackle paint.

Challenges:
The Stampman - use red
Simon Says Stamp and Show - red letter day

And as my messy mat was still out this morning, I thought i would do a bit more inking ...

I masked off the card blank and then created the sky using tumbled glass, faded jeans and chipped sapphire DIs. The bird stmap is from a TH set and I added some flat backed pearls. No sentiment yet, partly as I am not a sentiment person, very rarely add them to my cards, and only then when I know who I am sending it to, and partly as I can't think of anything appropriate at the mo!!

Challenges:
Crazy4 challenge - monochrome in blues
Less is More - birds
Secret Crafter Saturday challenge - anything goes with blue

Hug a 'shroom!!!

2012-01-14T03:11:00.003Z

This week's Sweet Stampin' challenge is glitter, sparkle and bling and we are sponsored by The Emerald Fairy Garden. who are offering 2 digis.

This adorable fairy (or is it a pixie ... you wouldn't believe the discussions we have had in our house about what kind of magical creature this is!!!) is called Ebony, and I coloured it using my prisma pencils. I just love her hugging that mushroom, you can feel the love!!!! The dp is MME and I stitched and distressed it all. I added some raffia lace and then some adhesive gems. Now the sparkle doesn't show, but I glamour dusted the wings and dolloped a load of frosted lace stickles onto the mushroom and spread it out. I real life it really sparkles, trust me!!

Challenges:
The pixie Cottage - stitching
Simply Create - layers, layers, layers

Totally Papercrafts Challenge

2012-01-13T07:00:00.002Z

Wooohhhooooo its Friday!! Roll on tonight and the weekend! Its also time for another otally papercrafts challenge and it is Caroline's turn to choose the challenge ... a nice easy one ... Spots an Stripes.

I used a Gorguss girl I haven't inked up for ages and paper peiced her dress, colouring the rest in using promarkers. The dp are digi papers and I added some faux stitching, a PB sentiment, and some card candy. The white panel is embossed using my CB Swiss dots folder. Finally some white card candy to finish.

Challenges:

Allsorts - paper piecing
Paper Take Weekly - die cute
For Fun - anything goes
I love Promarkers - cute and cuddly

My mum's craft shop - here come the girls

Simon Says Stamp - spots and stripes

Pixie Cottage - sketch and stitching

Paperplay - in stitches

Moving along with the times - spots and stripes

Molten Tones

2012-01-12T12:39:00.001Z

I love Design Seeds and have a whole Pinterest board dedicated to my favourite colour combinations from Design Seeds. Yesterday this was one of the colour combinations posted ...

How cool is that photo and colour combination?? I just had to go and create with those colours in mind ... and this is what I came up with ...

I inked up the tag using weathered wood DI and then stamped the TH sun ray effect in versafine and heat embossed it. I then added fired brick and aged mahogany DI over the the tag. before I stamped the grungey scratchings and the flourishes I misted the tag to created a splotchy effect. The edges were inked over in black soot and then distressed using my trusty TH distressing tool. The hearts are painted in fired brick stain and then crackle painted in rock candy. Finally I added the sentiment and stained some seam binding to match.

This tag is very similar ... I used the same colours and the background is created pretty much the same way. The TH flourish swirl is stamped in versamark over the weathered wood and then heat embossed. The butterflies were stamped using the same technique to create the resist. The wish is a sizzix die and it is spayed in red pepper colour wash and then covered in rock candy crackle paint. I added some black and red flat backed pearls and stamped the dream text on.

Finally I card ... i went more orangey for this one! I used dried marigold, fired brick and aged magohany to create the background. The stamps are all TH ones, and I edged the sentiment in black soot before popping it onto 3d pads. I added some black grosgrain ribbon and orange organza ribbon, some flat backed pearls and a spare heart that I had from the previous tags.

Challenges:
Simon Says Stamp and Show - red letter day
Creative inspirations - pearls and swirls
Try it Tuesday - resist technique
Crafty Creations - something new (all the TH stamps were a Christmas present and this was their first inking up!)

The Sugar Bowl #75

2012-01-12T09:00:00.003Z

Erika has set the sketch over at the Sugar Bowl challenge this week, and the optional extra is a Birthday card.

One lucky winner of this challenge will have their choice of 4 stamps (or 6 stamps, if we reach 100+ entries) either from the new release or any stamps from the Sugar Nellie range at

I used To and Fro from the Home Grown range, and coloured her using my prisma pencils. The dp is a mixture of leftovers from my scrap tray (I think some are MME) . I added some lace, some vines and little flowers with pearls popped into their centres. The sentiment is a Penny Black one, and a bit larger than in the sketch!!

Whats on Your Workdesk Wednesday ...

2012-01-11T04:29:00.002Z

Its Wednesday and time for the ritual snoop around blog land checking out everyone's crafty space, led by the amazing Julia.

So here is my desk as it was left yesterday ... I went out to pilates last night so didn't get round to doing any crafting. So on my desk as 2 cardstock sqaures covered with TH tissue tape ... I am really beginning to love this stuff!! ... and distressed in a couple of colourways. Now need to add the stamps, but not sure what to add!! And a tag that is out ... a prompt to remind me to get on and make the tag I promised for a friend. That will be my early morning job this morning! Yes I craft first thing in the morning after hubby has gone out and before the girls are up ... only time I get the craft room to myself!!!!

A few cards

2012-01-10T11:16:00.002Z

I have been creating, but not quite finishing anything ... so last night I did a "finish it off" session. But before I show you those cards, I want to share a card I had a go at very early this morning. I was really lucky to in an online classes CAS course, and day 2 was an OLC card. I was really inspired by Amber's card, and thought i could adapt it using Waltzing mouse stamps (offbeat set I think).

OK I am absolutely rubbish at masknig off for stamping large areas so its not prefect, but not bad for a first attempt at this. I cut a square out using my nesties and then laid the 3 patterns I wanted on my block. I inked them in Purple Twlight and stamped them using a mouse mat ... needed a bit more pressure at the edges. I love this effect and think in the right colours it would make a fab masculine card.
Challenges:
Less Is More - predomniately purple

Ragged Princess was coloured at the weekend and she has sat on my desk waiting for the mojo todo something with her!! She is coloured using promarkers and flexmarkers and the I cutout and layered onto digi papers (Raspberry Road I think) and a paper doilly. I added a rose to her hand and some flowers.
Challenges:
Kreative Stamp Friends - Winter (well winter colours!)
Stamps&Fun=Creativity - sketch
Addicted to Stamps - January Blues
Anything Goes - Anything Goes
Passion for Promarkers - inspired by a song (where the Wild roses grow by Kylie Minogue and Nick Cave ... she looks so like I image Eliza to look!)

And finally Pippi from Sugar Nellie ... Elaine has a bit of a thing about Pippi, and after threatening my stamps with a curse I finally inked her up last week. While I was at it I inked her twice, and so this one got coloured in on Sunday. I used warm grey promarkers to colour the image and the dp is created using a Tattered Angels screen and pumice stone DI. The cardstock is distressed using my TH distresser. Some dyed seam binding and a layered flower to complete it. I used the Sugar Bowl sketch and theme ... jsut a couple of days before the new challegne to get your cards done.
Challenges:
Samuel Taylor - distressing
Craft Your Passion - mythical creatures
Everybody Art Challenge - shabby

Crafting Time DT ... Purple and Green

2012-01-09T07:40:00.044Z

I was very lucky and got selected for the Crafting time design team. There is a fab crafty shop, and a blog to go with it.

This week's theme is Purple and green. I have had a chipboard folder for ages that i have been meaning to alter and use as a crafting file ...

So after a busy crafting session the folder now looks like this ...

I sprayed the chipboard folder with Lettuce colorwash, let it dry and lightly painted over it with Snow cap acrylic dabber. I wiped sections of paint off with a damp towel to reveal the green. I created the 'inspire' text by making a mask using the sizzix die 'inspire', stamping onto the folder using versamark and then clear embossing powder. I repeated the stamping and embossing using a stamp from 7 Gypsies Lille set. I then went over the folder using distress inks, drying between each layer, and then stamped inspire using shabby shutters distress ink. I added some ghosting again using a stamp from the Lille set. The 'inspire' and bird cage were cut out of grungeboard andpainted in white acrylic paint and then crackle painted. I cut another 'inspire' out and covered in adrinodack ink (eggplant) and shadowed it behind the grungeboard one. Finally some TH butterflies and punched butterflies, cut out of glassene paper treated with alcohol inks, some pearls, text stamps and charms to finish.

Now I just need to make the pages to go in it!!

Products used:
Ranger Color wash (lettuce)
Ranger Adrinodack ink (eggplant)
Ranger Alcohol inks (purple twilight, meadow, silver)
Tim Holtz Distress inks (peeled paint, dusty concorde)
Ranger actrlic Dabbers (snowcap)
Tim Holtz crackle paint (rock candy)
7 Gypsies Lille Stamp set
Sizzix die - inspire
Tim Holtz Mover and Shapers tray
Tim Holtz Movers and Shapers Butterflies

Glassene paper, grungeboard, pearls, punched butterflies, TH movers and shapers birdcage from stash

A Tag

2012-01-09T07:30:00.002Z

A very quick post this morning .. I have a freezer disaster going on :(

I tried using tissue tape to cover tags and cardstock a couple of weeks ago and lovd the effect. Not sure why I hadn't thought of using it in this way previously!! I gor quite a few new stamp sets for Christmas, and the car and ticket were in one of them. I am trying to get a small scrapbook together of hubby and my time in France and Paris and I thought I might use tags within it. I made one a couple of weeks ago that I quite like (you can find it here), but its a bit girly, so I thought i would try something more masculine!
I covered the tag is TH tissue tap and then inked over it using aged mahogoney and vintage photo. I stamped the post card stamp directly onto the tag and then stamped the car (a Christmas present :))) and eiffel tower, both of which were cut out and distressed. Finally I added a stamped ticket. I think it needs something else, hubby says not .... hmmmmm ...

Challenges:
Make it Monday
Cupcake Craft - Something New - Tim Holtz stamp set

Purple frippery

2012-01-07T10:29:00.000Z

I am planning a day if inkiness ... got a tag and card to make, but I thought that I would participate in this week's Less is More as purple is my favourite colour!

I used elements of Waltzing Mouse Stamps Victorian Frippery sets and stamped the elements onto coredinations cardstock using SU eggplant ink. I cut the border out to replicate lace. I added a button to the centre of the fancy circle as it looked a bit bare. And that is really it. I will add a sentiment when I know who i am going to send it to.

Challenges:
Less is More - predominately purple
Waltzing Mouse Sketches - sketch

Basic Grey Challenge

2012-01-07T06:22:00.004Z

Its the first Basic Grey Challenge of 2012, and we have a nice, easy theme for you ...

use new stash
but remember you MUST use at least one Basic Grey product on your card.

I decided to make a container for all my prisma pencils as I forget about them because I can't see them easily!!

I used Basic Grey Curio papers and brad, and the new bit is the TH butterfly stamp set ... I got a few of the rubber Stampers Anonymous sets for Christmas. I stamped the butterflies in mahogany DI onto a distressed panel so they go the whole way round the tin. I added some grungeboard butterflies painted using alcohol inks (not tried that before and LOVE the effect), some lace and a little banner created from a WOJ die set. Finally I added a couple of buttons with tulle tied behind using tulle.

We are really lucky to be sponsored again this year by Simon Says Stamp ...

Who are offering a $25.00 voucher.

(PP charges apply)

Challenges:
2 Sisters - things with wings
CES - anything goes
Crazy4challenge - something new

Retail Therapy

2012-01-06T12:45:00.000Z

This classy lady is one not after my own heart!!!! The less shopping I do the better!!

This Sassy is one of Krista's Sugar Nellie range and you can find her here. She is coloured using prisma pencils and I glossed her shoes. I kept it all very simple, just scoring the white cardstock and amtting onto navy and mustard cardstock. A ribbon and 3 pearls to finish.

Challenges:
Saturated Canary - Clean and Simple
Winter Wonderland - Lets go shopping
Fabulous Friday - cardstock only

Totally Papercrafts Challenge

2012-01-06T08:00:00.007Z

I am all confused by the days this week ... what with a bank holiday and the girls not going back to school until Wednesday, I had to pinch myself to realise it was Friday!! And Friday means time for another Totally Papercrafts Challenge. All the DT girlies are back refreshed after their Christmas break, and we have some fab challenges and prizes lined up for you this year.

It's Anne's turn to set the theme for this week and she has chosen this fab sketch by our lovely Sue.

and our sponsor

with this prize

I used my fab new Hero Arts stamp (thanks Gran!!), and having created the background using distress inks. stamped it onto in sepia versafine ink. The dp is Basic Grey Orgins, and I made the flowers by cutting out Marianne Creatible flowers and snipping into the petals lots. Finally some card candy coloured brown and that's it really.

Challenges:
Ladybug - anything goes and new stash
The Paper Shelter - anything goes
Papertake Weekly - anything goes
Fab n Funky - something new
Cute Card Thursday - use something new
Little Miss Muffet - something new
Card Making Mamas - new year card or something new
Simon Says Stamp - new something

Christmas and a wedding!!

2012-01-05T10:44:00.000Z

Well I have made my first Christmas card of 2012 ... going to be organised and get at least a couple each week made so by October I am not panicking!!!

I used this fab Penny Black Mouse image, Let it Snow, and coloured it with my Prisma pencils. I used rock candy crackle paint for the icy puddle, and left the rest very simple, just some embossing and a bit of red gingham. My resolution for Christmas cards this year is "quick and simple"!!!

Challenges:
Do you stack up - let it snow
Stamps+fun=creativity - snow
Creative Card Crew - snow
Everybody Art challenge - snow
Oldie but a Goodie - Christmas animals

And now a wedding card ...

I used Mr and Mrs from Lili of the Valley, and coloured it in my prisma pencils (need to practice black more!!), before painting over the bride's veil and dress with chandelier glitter glam. The green cardstock is embossed, and I stamped in versamark and heat embossed a text stamp on the cream cardstock. Just some red and cream gingham to finish ... the happy couple are VERY non fussy ... ribbon might be a bit much for them!!!

Challenges:
Stampavie and More - hearts
Crafty ribbons - new beginnings
Tuesday throwdown - shiny something
For Your Inspiration - photo inspiration
Lili's Little Fairies - New beginnings
DutchDare - new beginnings
Colour Create - red, cream, sage green

Angelica

2012-01-04T18:25:00.001Z

I have neglected my Sugar Nellie stamps thanks to the need to make Christmas cards ... but now Christmas is over I am taking a week or two off making Christmas cards, and am concentrating on inking up the rubber that has yet to come out of its packet ... well packets!!

This is Angelica ... I masked off the bunny as, well, I didn't want it on! She is coloured using promarkers and flxmarkers, and the wings have been glamour dusted. I made the dp myself, I am really pleased with it as its my first time with this technique(see below for how). I added a layered flower with a button, with tulle behind it, some lace, some crystal chandlier stuff, and a pearl pin. Finally the sentiment is a Penny Black one.

To make the paper:
Paint over plain card using acrylic paint (darker colours work best)

Stamp your background in versamark, add clear embossing powder and heat it.

Finally go over it all with a paler acrylic paint. While the paint is still tacky, rub it off the embossed areas with a damp cloth or paper towel ... NOT a baby wipe!

And volia ... shabby, vintagey, weathered paper!

Challenges
Papertake Weekly - anything goes
Try it Tuesday - all your own work
Crafty Creations - heat embossing
Creative Inspirations - with thanks
I love Promarkers - buttons and lace
Simon Says Stamp - new something (technique)
Trully Scrumptious - shabby pastels and paint
Passion for Promarkers - thank you

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday

2012-01-04T04:26:00.003Z

Ahhhhh NORMALITY!!!!!! The girls are back at school, Christmas has been done nad dusted, just a few decs to put away, I am back at work, life is normal again!!!!

And it is Wednesday, time for the wekly snoop across the crafty desks of blogland, led by the amazing and talented Julia.

So on my desk ... wedding invite mock ups ...ekkkk!!! I have offered (remind me to keep my mouth shut in future!!) to make the wedding invites for one of the child-minded children's parents as she is rushed off her feet. She wants navy blue and cream, ribbon and pearls would be nice ... so I have given her a few options. Which would you choose??? I like the 3rd one in from the left ... going to push for that one!!

Hopefully after the school run and before E arrives at 11am I will get some crafting time ... got a date with alcohol inks and my airbrush ... finally had a go at T!m's alcohol inks and propellant ... using my promarker airbrush and with some playing have realised that you get a fab splot if you spray the drop as it drops ... so much fun!!!!! DH has shaken his head rather alot at me!! I have clapped my hands alot ...!!!!

WOW

2012-01-03T09:25:00.000Z

I have had a break over the Christmas period from crafting, partly as we went to stay with my parents for part of it, and partly because I have been reading the millenium trilogy and it has taken up all my time!!!
So I thought I would break myself back in with a simple CAS card ...

The main stamp os from Stempleglede, and I just stamped a couple of Lavinia fairiesdancing around it. I cut it out using my nesties, embossed the background and distressed the edges. Some white organza ribbon and a bow and that's it really.

I am back yto work today, and its the last day of the girls' school holiday, shame is is so wet and windy ... yet another indoor day :(
Challenges:
Crafting for All Seasons - fairies
Crafting your Passion - anything goes + distressing
DieCut Dreams - White on White
Magical Mondays - anything goes
Sir Stampalot - monochromatic

The Stamp Man 3rd Year Annual awards

2012-01-02T04:36:00.003Z

The Stamp Man are holding their 3rd Annual Awards ... all you have to do is proudly show your favourite project of 2011 ... click on the pic for more details ...

Oh to just pick 1 project from the year that is either my best or favourite!!! That is a hard task ...

After lots of browsing and contemplating I went for this card. I coloured her in using my promarkers, once in warm greys and the other in reds and blues. I cut sections of the coloured image out using my nesties and covered chippie squares. All the dp (Prima) and images have been distressed with my TH tool and ink. I added strips of TH tissue tape that I distressed with ink, and a layered flower. Finally a pearl pin with some cogs threaded onto it and some flat backed pearls.

Challenge:
Make it Monday

The Craft Garden January Challenge

2012-01-01T02:20:00.005Z

This month's Craft Garden challenge is monochrome ... I went with blue.

I coloured this Saturated Canary image using my promarkers and then layered her up onto Basic Grey and Bo Bunny papers. I used a martha Stewart punch to create the border and then added seam binding, a double bow and some flat backed pearls.
Challenges:
2 sisters - winter colours
One Stop Craft - winter wishes
Saturated Canary - winter
Papertake Weekly - sketch
I love promarkers - anything goes
Crafts and Me - anything Goes
The Paper Shelter - tie a bow
My Mum's Craft Shop - anything goes
Anything Goes - blue + 1 (white)
Simon Says Stamp - anything goes
Dutchdare Card Challenge - favourite things (promarkers)
Fabulous Friday - use something new (image)
Stampin for the Weekend - anything Goes
Everybody Art Challenge - Anything Goes

My Top 5 cards 0f 2011

2011-12-31T13:16:00.000Z

I posted my cards of 2011 by month yesterday, but today I am posting my favourite 5 cards ... you probably can believe how hard it is to choose so few favourites!

If I was ever pushed into only picking 1 favourite stamp, it would beSugar Nellie's Amelia ... I just love her. I teamed her up here with Prima papers and use a mosiac technique ... loved the effect and will definitely repeat it.

I LOVE these papers, they are my colours. The image is one of Krista's digis, I just love her artwork.

Those papers again!!! This time teamed with another Sugar Nellie, Hazel, she is absolutely adorable.

Oh .. another Sugar nellie!!! I do like arty stamps and the Leanne Ellis range are great for arty stamps. This is Be One Traveller, and the papers are SU.

Finally something a bit more vintagey, and my favourite colour combinations, blue and brown. The stamp is a big Hero Arts stamp.

New Home

2011-12-31T07:39:00.003Z

Its the last Sweet Stampin' challenge of 2011 and this week our challenge is "new beginnings" now that can be a new baby, new home, a wedding etc, just remember to include something stamped.

Our sponsor this week is the lovely Angela from Angel Crafts

Angela is giving one lucky winner a beautiful embellishment pack as the prize...these are lovely. you can check them out here and see what other goodies Angela has on offer, there's a fabby sale!!

I made this card for a friend who has recently moved house. I used a house set from Waltzing Mouse stamps, love this set, but haven't used it yet ... quite new stash!! I stamped the porch and popped it up onto 3d pads to give it a bit of depth. Both the house and porch were stamped onto Bo Bunny papers and I added a bit of pencil to add some colour. The house was cut out and layered upto Bo Bunny papers. Finally some brads ... very simple really.

Challenges:

The Secret Crafter - anything goes
Delicious Doodles - anything goes
My Mum's Craft Shop - anything goes
Scrapbook sisters - anything goes
Aud's Sentiments - anything goes
Bearly Mine - anything goes

For Fun - New

Allsorts - New Beginnings

2011 in cards

2011-12-30T17:51:00.000Z

I have been looking through my cards from 2011 finding my top 5 for Debby's top 5 starting tomorrow. So I thought I would share 2011 in months ... favourite card for each month (or favourites!!!) ... I have tried not to be too Sugar based!!

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

I'll be back tomorrow with my Sweet Stampin card and my top 5 cards of 2011 ... not shown them here!!!

A quickie ...

2011-12-29T15:13:00.000Z

To be honest I have had the flower panel made for a while, just not found the time to do something with it!!

I found this painting on metal foil technique whilst doing Tim Holtz's 12 Tags of Christmas ... and did it scare me!!! However I made a tag using the technique and at the same time embossed this panel. I finally got round to finishing it off last week ... painting the details, distressing and embossing it. Today i finally got round to putting it onto a card. I do like the effect of the vintage photo embossed over the paint ... will be having another go at this technique.

Challenge -
The Stampman -use a technique you've not used before

A couple of tags ...

2011-12-29T11:28:00.003Z

I've missed my craft room!! So i have been playing this morning, and made a tag ... but before i show you that I haven't blogged My 12th tags of Christmas.
Here is T!m's ...

And my take on it ...

I did quite alot of adapting as I don't have the tissue paper (yet!!) . I stamped on the tag and them covered it with decopatch paper. The tissue flower is made using 7 Gypsies Tissue paper, and I used rosettes and shrinkie plastic holly leaves rather than the doll (not my thing, the doll!).

Challenges:
Simon Says Stamp and Show - show a Tim Holtz themed tag

And here is this morning's creation ...

To be honest I got a couple of sets of Tim Holtz's tissue tape a while back and have been stumped as to what to do with them, apart from use them instead of ribbon. When I planned this tag i had the idea to use french print as the background .. the tape was perfect for this! I covered the tag in TH tissue tape (see pic below) and then distressed it using tea dye, vintage photo and walnut stain DIs. I stamped stamps from Tim Holtz stamp sets onto card and then distressed them using vintage photo and broken china DIs. Everything got the distressing tool treatment too!!The rosette is made by putting tissue tape onto tissue paper, distreesing it with Victorian velvet DI and then running it through the rosette die. i haven't made a rosette flower using this media before, and had reservations ... but it worked!!
Finally I assesmbled the tag, and then stamped the sentiment directly onto the tag.

Challenges:
Crafts and Me - anything Goes
Creative Inspiration - anything goes
My Mum's Craft Shop - anything goes
Simon Says Stamp - anything goes
Grungy Monday - get out the tissues (sponsored by Simon Says Stamp)
Charisma Cardz - anything goes
Dutchdare Card Challenge - favourite things (Tim Holtz, distress inks)

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday

2011-12-28T19:20:00.000Z

I have lost all sense of time!! We have spent Christmas ensconsed in my parent's lovely warm cottage in the Lake District. The weather has been foul so we haven't ventured out much ... no crafting but a book and a half demolished!!

So it is Wednesday and we are back home this evening ... and I am about to do my Wednesday ritual ... blog hop my way across the crafting blogs of blog land, led by the fabulous Julia.
And here is my desk ...

Not really much ... my ipad on the page I am reading, T!m's compendium ... going to revisit some techniques this holiday before his new one comes out!!! Rest of it is very tidy, as I left it on Christmas Eve. I am not working until nest Tuesday so lots of crafting time planned :)))

My Christmas presents

2011-12-26T10:06:00.001Z

I hope you all had a fab Christmas and the big man in ref bought you what you wanted.I was really lucky to get some stamps for Christmas ... Finally topped up my TH stamp sets and collected a couple more SU sets thanks to my lovely hubby, mum and my fab SU mama Susan xx

I also got Tim's Compendium of Curiosities so while we are in a very wet and windy Lake District I have something to read. Good job really as the Internet connection here is rubbish at the mo (I am sat at the top of Mum's road just to get a signal on my phone!!!).
So here are my stamps ...

I am off back down the lane for a cup of coffee and a dry off!!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Pikestone Ln,,United Kingdom

My 5 favourite Christmas cards of 2011

2011-12-24T12:48:00.001Z

I am posting this using my iPad ...and am in HTML mode so totally clueless, hopefully it will work!!These are my favourite makes from this year's Christmas cards.

For this one I used distress inks and masked the flourish text stamp, before stamping over it with a script stamp inked with bleach. Love the effect the bleach creates.

I love this collage Father Christmas and these bo bunny papers ... Gives a great vintage feel.

Another vintage card , this time using WMS holiday ornament stamps.

I love sepia and CAS ... Together they make great cards!

Aww and these penguins from Sugar Nellie are just adorable ... Definitely my favourite new Christmas stamp.

Something different

2011-12-24T12:18:00.000Z

I thought I would do something different and alter another soup tin ...

I used kraft coredinations cardstock and embossided and distressed it. The flowers are cut out of linien using TH's tattered flower die, and then misted with Tattered Angels chalkboard and glimmer mist sprays. I also treated the cardstock to some tattered rose glimmer mist. Once the flowers were dry I added some glimmer glam and a pearl brad. The lace was distressed using distress inks and the buckle added. Finally a couple of grungeboard TH die cut butterflies, coated in silver acrylic paint and then dried with the heat gun so the paint bobbled.

I am gonig ot take a wee break from blogging over the festive period ... so have a Merry Christmas everyone.

Challenges:
Craft you Passion - things with wings
Stamps&fun=creativity - favourite material
My Mum's Craft Shop - anything goes
Simon Says Stamp - bingo (glittter/sparkle/ fabric, brads)
Everybody Art Challenge - anything goes
Anything Goes - anything but a card
Dutch Dare Card Challenge - make it shimmer
Charisma Cardz - Anything Goes
Fabulous Friday - fabric
Stampin for the Weekend - anything Goes

WOYWW

2011-12-21T04:10:00.006Z

Well it is Wednesday and I usually love Wednesdays as it is mid-week ... almost weekend. BUT I have had this cold, not quite flu thing for over a week now and am really fed up. I have hardly crafted for a week and not blogged much ... feeling pants :(
So it is Wednesday, time to share my desk courtesy of the wonderful Julia ...

I have a cheap messy mat (stolen from my Mum!!!) and here are the masking tries from the last few days ... not really creating, just playing with masks and sprays and inks. I tried masking over alcohol inks and spraying with blending solution .... interesting, and needs more work!!! And a couple of tags in the background that i have inked and debossed and embossed (LOVE this technique from TH!!).

I only have today and tomorrow to work .. .girls and child minded children's school Carol service this morning, and tonight we have carols round the tree on our local green .. tomorrow is my last day of working for 10 days .. I cannot wait ... love the children, just need a bit of a break from 10 of them!!!!!

So

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

everyone xx

I am looking forward to rest, inky fingers and some blog catching up over the holiday :))))

Rosette flowers

2011-12-17T10:39:00.000Z

This is a quick post as the hubby has taken the girls out for an hour so I can get their presents sorted and wrapped ... if I can find the sellotape!!

This was really quick, well quick-ish to make! I stamped the music stamp along a peice of kraft cardstock and then ran it througfh my CB and TH rosette flower die. A bit of concertina-ing, a circle and button later, 2 flowers made. I used my CB birthday folder for the background ... very simples.

Challenges:
Less is More - music
Allosrts - blue and brown

Frosty the snowman

2011-12-17T09:00:00.007Z

And there I was thinking that I had finished making Christmas cards!!!

This PB stamp is fab for those last minute makes ... minimal colouring! I coloured him using my promarkers nad them distressed the edges of the image. I kept the background really simple, just distressing the edges, embossing a section and then scoring a couple of section, a bit of gingham and some pearls. The silvery glitter is extreme glitter acyrlic paint from Artifolk .. i love this stuff!!

Challenges:
Crafty Creations - embossing and glitter
Everybody Art Challenge - blue and white
ABC challenge - F is for Frosty
I love promarkers - blue and white
Simon Says Stamp - sketch
Colour create - blue, white, silver
Do you Stack up - winter
Dutchdare - tictactoe - pearls, embossing, distressing
Alphabet - W for white Christmas
Just Add Ink - sparkle
Simply Create - embossing
Fuss n Fancy - monochromatic and Sparkle

Sweet Stampin' Challenge

2011-12-17T07:04:00.010Z

This week's Sweet Stampin' challenge is

Glitter, Sparkle or Bling!

Our sponsor this week is Di's digis.....

...who are offering one lucky winner a $10 gift certificate.

I used this cutie penguin and coloured it using my promarkers, before adding a good smattering of stickles and some pearls. I rubbed stickles all over the kraft cardstock and then embossed it when it was dry (you can't see the embossing, but its fab in real life!. I added some acrylic whilte paint to the edges and eubbed a bit of it off. Some gingham and a few more pearls and that was it!

Challenges:

Cupcake Craft - Don't look at the light

Crafts and Me - Christmas

Divas by Design - Merry Christmas

For Fun - Christmas

Stampavie and More - red

Charisma Cardz - last minute Christmas makes

Paperplay - Christmas

Crafty Catz - Santa's hat

Sugar Bowl #74

2011-12-15T09:00:00.003Z

Maria has set the sketch over at the Sugar Bowl challenge this week, and the optional extra is no shop dought dp or digi papers (eekkkk!!!).

One lucky winner of this challenge will have their choice of 4 stamps (or 6 stamps, if we reach 100+ entries) either from the new release or any stamps from the Sugar Nellie range at

Here's the sketch you need to follow ...

And my card ...

I used one of the latest Simply Adorable digi images, Victoria, and printed her out on kraft cardstock. I coloured her in using my promarkers. I made my own design paper using distress inks, glimmer mists and a Martha Stewart punch. I inked over the cardstock using Victorian Velvet ink, and then created a mask using the punch. I placed it over the centre of the cardstock and spritzed over the cardstock using tattered leather glimmer mist. Being impatient, I used my heat gun to dry the mist off and then lifted the mask off ... a really cheap way to create your own masks!! I inked round the dp with some vintage phot ink and and added some gingham, a double loop bow and a flower and swirl arrangement. Finally some teeny flat backed pearls to finish.

WOYWW

2011-12-14T04:24:00.004Z

Is it only Wednesday??? I have got a stinking cold and feel rotten .. .but children need looking after so I am dosing myself up with cold remedies and hoping for the best!!!

Wednesdays mean the regular trot across the crafting desks of blogland, led by the amazingly talented Julia ... so what is on my workdesk???

I admit to being totally Christmased out!! Having done all 12 Tag courtesy of Mr T!m Holtz nad made what feels like thousands of Christmas cards, I am felling the need to do something else ... so I have my SMASH stash on my craft desk. I confess to owning 3 of these books and the mini folio. Love them and each has a different focus.
This year I have been more organised and have stored my 12 tags in a journal with the key techniques .. .now need to go back over previous years' and add them! So you can see my day 12 tag there ... I will hopefully get round to blogging it later.

I have been very taerdy announcing the winner of my candy ... Ellie chose number 62 ... Annie ... please contact me sweetie nad i will get your candy off to you.

Right off to get ready for the children, hopefully they will be gentle... catch up with your desks tonight!

T!m'a 12 days, day 10 and 11

2011-12-12T08:08:00.002Z

Here are my interpretation of Tim's tags for days 10 and 11.

I really enjoyed doing this tag ... a bit of adapting went on but I love the vintage feel to it.

Tag 11 was probably the most difficult for me ... didn't really have anything that Tim did ...

I am really proud of the leaves ... cut of out shrinking, covered in embossing powder and shtrunk so they are all glossy ... definitely a technique I am gonig to use again!!

Challenges:
Make it Monday
Craft you Passion - Tag you're it
Creative Stamp friends - Christmas
Ohlala Creations - ANything but a card
2 Sisters - Christmas
Crazy4challenges - Santa

A Tag, and a bit of snow

2011-12-10T10:06:00.000Z

Here is my interpretation of T!m's tag from yesterday ...

Crafting Time have a page for you to show off your TH tags ... you can find the page and details here. And there will be a prize for one lucky person.

And another quick Christmas card ... 0nly 2 left to make I think!

I used a Penny Black stamp, stamped it directly onto navy carstock and embossed it with tinsel embossing powder. I added an embossed panel using a TH embossing strip. Very simples really and quick!

Challenges:
Totally Gorguss - let it snow
Less is More - Snow (OLC week)
Allsorts - It takes two (2 colours)

Right we are off to get our Christmas tree ... wellies at the ready and umbrellas!! And i will be back later with my candy winner ... now Ellie's birthday celebrations are over she can pick a number!

Basic Grey Challenge

2011-12-10T03:01:00.002Z

Its our last Basic Grey challenge of 2011, we will be taking a bit of bresk, returning with an ew challenge on 7th january 2012.

Its a nice easty challegne for you this time ...

Anything Goes

Just remember you need to include at least 1 item from Basic Grey and tell us what it is in order to be eligble for the prize.

This is the type of card I love to make, but don't often blog ... vintagey, maybe a bit grungey, the kind of card where my hands get VERY sink stained!! I used a collage stamp from Hero Arts, stamped it in sepia and cut it up ... it is HUGE!! I coloured the butterflies using DIs and then distressed all the edges using vintage photo ink. Whilst the ink was wet on the image I threw some gold embossing powder over it, just to get that aged look to it, and heated it. Finally I added some seam binding, a bow and button, TH adage ticket, duly distressed, and another of the butterflies fom the stamp. The dp is Basic Grey Periphery .. I love the dark colours in this range, and the swirls and scroll on it.

Challenges:
Do you stack up - something old/vintagey
Dutchdare Challenge - Winged things
Little Miss Muffet - buttons and bows
Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes

Totally Papercrafts Challenge

2011-12-09T07:15:00.001Z

Its Friday ... Woohoooooo!!! And time for this week's Totally papercrafts Challenge. Are you getting a bit fed up with making Christmas cards ... well this week our theme is ANYTHING BUT CHRISTMAS!!

So I went for something TOTALLY different ... I made the background for my card using glimmer mists (tattered rose, old olive, frost and hydragenea) and then stamped various TH Artistic Stamper stamps onto it. I used Stazon ink as it dries quickly on the pearlised surface. And to be honest that was it!! Lots of playing and fun was had!

More tags

2011-12-08T19:45:00.001Z

I've been playing catch up with my Tim Holtz 12 days of Tags ...

Now Day 6 had me in a sweat ... I really didn't know what to with this one. I had all the ingredients but lacked the nerve to do it ... until today. WOW is all I can say, I absolutely LOVE this tag and its a great technique. Really vintagey and shiny.

Day 4 catch up ...It all got started and never completed. Love the very frosty snowman, and had never tried the acrylic paint and DI to create the background... love the marbling nad texture it gives. I stamped the number in stazon, and like that cracked look to it.

Finally today's tag ... I don;t have much steampunk stuff so I mixed it up with a bit of vintage Christmas. Have to say I quite like the effect. I did the clock so the hands are approaching midnight.

So I am finally up to date with my tags :) Will be making Tag 9 on Saturday as I start work tomorrow at 7.30 and Ellie has her birthday party tomorrow evening.

Frosty the snowman

2011-12-08T07:47:00.001Z

Please no more Christmas cards!!! Well maybe a couple ...

I am in quick card mode to get the last few done and dusted. I coloured these adorable PB snowman in using my promarkers and then stickled him and cut him out. I kept it really simple, using nesties to cut the card and mat. The cardstock is SU and I embossed the crumb with a snowflake folder. And that was that!

Challenges:
Crafts and Me - winter - snow/snowflakes
Creative Inspiration - Snow much fun
For Fun - Christmas sparkle
I love promarkers - shaped card
Simon Says Stamp - photomontage
Paperplay- snowman

Some Christmas Candy

2011-12-08T07:10:00.000Z

As it is running up to Christmas I thought i would offer a little early Christmas present for someone ...

My candy consists of ...

2 Sugar Nellie stamps ...

Crystal Flakes (currently sold out) and Christmas Garland

And the rest is a surprise ... not even going to give you a clue!!

So all you need to do is mention the candy in a blogpost

or post a pic on your sidebar,

linking back to here,

and

add your name to the linky thingy after you have done it.

Candy closes at 10pm Wednesday 7th December

(Ellie's Birthday)

Tags!!

2011-12-07T14:47:00.001Z

I've been playing a little bit of catch up with Tim Holtz's 12 Tags of Christmas ... Ellie and myself being sick sucuppered day 3 and 4!! And I am struggling getting my lead round day 6 ... tonight's little project I hink, once I have assesmbled tag 4 that is!!

Anyway ...

Here is Day 3's tag ... not made exactly like TRim's as I don't use reinkers, so I inked directly onto the stamp and prayed!!! It worked I think!! I used holly leaves created making tag 7 (I am not doing them in order at all!!) and some flat backed pearls to create the embellishment. The seam binding i stained using glimmer mist.

Day 7's tag ... I love the effect of alcohol inks and glassine paper so loved making these holly leaves. Again a bit of improvisation on the ghosting ... different stamps used, but it works! The sentiment is a Stempelglede one.

And finally a tag I mage using the inspiration from a tag I made ages ago ... used the same papers and some of the same type of embellieshments.

The grungeboard heart was diecut and painted ages ago ... and then I decided a copper one would be better so didn't use it!! I painted the charm with picket fence crackle paint, added a Stempleglede stamp and used DIs to colur the leaves in. A bit of distressing and some sparkle to finish. The Christmas stamp is part of a SU sentiment.

CHallenges:
Simon Says Stamp - photomontage inspiration
The Shabby Tearoom - the magic of Christmas (sorry i couldn't do pink!!)

WOYWW ... not me!!!

2011-12-07T04:50:00.004Z

How did this happen ... its my desk and not ME!!!! Nope, younger daughter has STOLEN my desk to do the homework we were late doing .. apparently if she didn't hand it in today she would be put on the thundercloud and that would be ... MY FAULT!!!! Don't you just love children!!!

So here is Beth, my little Raptor in all her creating glory!!

They needed to make a snowman ...

Beth's is a bit top heavy and she loves those pompopms (as does someone else ...!!)

And Today is my older baby's 7th birthday so we made the card from Beth .. Ellie was at Beavers/

She coloured ...

picked papers (I drummed my fingers!!)

And wrote inside.

Whilst the kitten tried to suffocate himself trying to get a gold pompom out of the bag .. we did give it to him!!

So here is Beth's card for Ellie ...

And her snowman ...

Hopefully i will have my desk back next week!!! I am now off to pop round the crafting desks of blogland led by the wonderful Julia before the birthday madness begins!!

Birthday cards ...

2011-12-06T11:46:00.002Z

There are 4 birtdays in 3 days to celebrate ,,, one of Ellie's friend's, one of the children I mind, Ellie's and my nephew's!! I was ready with 2 of them, but still needed to make Ellie's and Conor's ...

For Ellie's I used this fabulous digi of Krista's called Ellie's birthday (thank you so much sweetie, you've made her day!!) and coloured it with promarkers. The dp is Basic Grey Green at Heart and I added a pearl swirl, a grungeboard number 7, some ribbon and some lace. I glossy accented the balloons for extra shine!!

Challenges:
Sketch Saturday - sketch
Do you stack up - ribbon
Crafts and Me - pearls and swirls
Cute Card Thursday - its just a number
Saturated Canary - Anything Goes
Passion for Promarkers - celebrations
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

And here is Conor's card ... I used Rock Idol from Sugar Nellie's Manga collection and coloured him in with promarkers. The dp are from Cuddly Buddly. I left it really quite simple ... being a 10 year old he's not into fuss!!

Challenge:
Stamp with Fun - sketch

Tim Holtz's 12 days of Christmas ...tag 5

2011-12-05T10:55:00.002Z

I am a little behind on the tags ... day 2 is almost finished, day 3 not started, day 4 has the base done ... both Ellie and myself have bee poorly over the weekend so playing has been limited.

However its Day 5 with another fab tag and technique I just had to try!!

And here is my take on it ... I didn't have many of the supplies :(

I followed Tim's inking technique on a transparency sheet, but used a holly stamp from Minin Holidays 3 and then used a mix of Holly branch and a sizzix holly die to create a "wreath" ... I'm not good at flower arranging!! We usually hang a small holly branch on our front door, cut straight from the tree ... messy but unique, so here's my messy but unique holly! I inked up the holly leaves and stickled them, purely as it is hailing and trying to snow here today.

Challenges
Make it Monday
Fab n Funky - anything goes
Simon Says Stamp - anything goes
Cupcake Craft challenge - DIY
Craft your passion - anything goes and glitter
Crafty Catz - colours of Christmas and sparkle
Cupcake inspiration - red, green and white
Paper Sundaes - Sundae bar - red and die cutting
Colour Create - red green and white
Do you stack up - ribbon

Sweet Stampin DT card

2011-12-03T07:34:00.008Z

This week's Sweet Stampin Challenge is

SNOW

it can be snow, snowflake, snowmen etc, as long as there is snow.

and we are sponsored by

Crafty Emma

with this prize - Fizzy Moon paper pad

I usedthis cute Penny Black stamp, Snowy. He looks so cosy in his hat and scarf. I coloured him in using promarkers and added glamour dust for some frosty sparkle. I embossed the panels of white cardstock using different snowflake folders and then added some layered ribbon. The sentiment is from Magnolia with the swirl masked off. Finally some punched and sparkled snowflakes.

Challenges:

Ladybugs Craft Ink - White on White

Oldie but a goodie - Christmas - no red/green

Dream Valley - sparkle

Papertake Weekly - Sketch

Creative Inspirations - Contemporary colours - turquoise, purple, white

For Fun - Xmas card

I love Promarkers - snowmen and snowflakes

2 Sisters - punches and dies

ABC Challenge - E for embossing

Totally Papercrafts Challenge

2011-12-02T08:00:00.012Z

It's my turn to choose this week's Totally Papercrafts challenge theme ... and its another easy one!

Let it Snow!

I used this fab Penny Black stamp, stamped it in black versafine and then covered it in tinsel embossing powder. The image was matted onto silver and black cardstock The white cardstock is embossed using Swiss dots and a snowflake folder, and I simply added pewter grey ribbon.

12 tags of Christmas ... tag 1

2011-12-01T20:44:00.002Z

Its the 1st December and the start of the much anticipated 1st tag from Tim Holtz ... you can find it and the instructions HERE.

So I was planning an industious evening in my craft room to make my tag ...

Fab isn't it .. but its not really mine!! I was hijacked by 2 little girls!!

So we prepped will hubby cooked my tea ... I cut the Noel out and the girl glittered it ...(need the hoover to clean that mess up!!), they did some embossing and made pine cones. They managed those cones really well, must be little fingers! (sorry no pics of them as I wasn't expecting 'help'!!) Ellie loves using the CB ... "can I emboss this?", "Whats next to cut?" ... think we might have sorted out a Christmas pressie or two!!

After tea and their bath the real work began ...

die cutting ...

sanding ...

more sanding ...

distressing ...

placing everything ...

its got to be perfect!

They worked really well together ...

Getting those cones on using silicon glue...

And finally the ribbon.

Sugar Bowl #73

2011-12-01T09:00:00.015Z

Its my turn to set the sketch over at the Sugar Bowl challenge this week, and the optional extra theme is Out of the Ordinary (something out of the ordinary or unusual for you.).

One lucky winner of this challenge will have their choice of 4 stamps (or 6 stamps, if we reach 100+ entries) either from the new release or any stamps from the Sugar Nellie range at

Here is my sketch ...

and I made a canvas, something I have never done before!

I used Young Love from the Homegrown range, and coloured them using my promarkers. I mixed some white acrylic paint with vintage photo distress ink (never tried that before!) and painted the canvas. Once it was dry I added some rock candy crackle paint around the edges and went over it with distress ink when it was dry. I tore the background cardstock and treated it to some distreess ink and a good smattering of glimmer mists. The dp is from my stash, and again that was torn and distressed. Don't often tear my papers, often distress them with my TH distressing tool, but tearing creates a bit of *gulp* moment for me!! I added some raffia lace and threaded gold organza ribbon through it and tied a bow. The brackets are chippie ones that I stained with distress ink, and then glimmer misted. The doilly is also distressed and glimmer misted. Finally I added the TH adage tickets, duly distressed, and some flat backed pearls.

The Craft Garden December challenge

2011-12-01T07:06:00.004Z

Its the first day of a new month and so time for another Craft Garden challenge. This month, being the month of those yummy Christmas recipes, we are having a recipe challenge. It works like this - each design team member has chosen an ingredient in the recipe and you have to use 4 of those items in your creation.

Your choices are:

Kerry - turquoise (for one of December's birthstones)
Carly - Snowflakes
Melly - Kraft
Tiffany- Office Supply

Kevin - Ribbon
Jay - Buttons
Cathy - charm
Helen - Purple

Kylie - Paint

So my recipe includes ... a charm, snowflakes, ribbon and kraft.

I used this fab SU stamp Dasher and stamped him onto kraft cardstock, and glamour dusted his antlers. The dp is Bo Bunny and I matted it onto krfat cardstock. Very simple details, a thin gingham ribbon and a snowflake charm. The sentiment was stamped onto the kraft cardstock in sepia ink to match the reindeer.

Challenges:
Charisma Cardz - spots

WOYWW

2011-11-30T05:04:00.040Z

Its Wednesday, and time for the weekly snoop across the desks of the crafting blogland, led by the amazing Julia. (WARNING this is going to be a long post and photo heavy!!! Put the kettle on!!)

So on my desk yesterday lunch time was ...

a tin can!!!

And by 9pm last night it looked like this ...

I took some Kraft coredinations, masked it with a sentcil, glimmer misted and chalkboard misted it, dried, and then embossed and sanded back. I glimmer misted a heart doilly and cut out some pennants using a WOJ die and embossed them. The image from Sugar Nellie is printed out onto kraft cardstock and coloured using my promarkers. I added tulle, buttons, brads and twine. This is my first attempt at an altered tin can.

And here it is in the light of day, holding my ink dusters.

Challenges:

Sew Many - twine

Allsorts - pennants

Try it Tuesday - alter a tin can

Cupcake Craft - colour on kraft

Craft your days away - buttons or bows
The Paper Shelter - Anything Goes
Divas by Design - Anything Goes

OK now you remember the canvas bag from last week ...

Well it was too dark when it dried, so I washed it in the washing machine with some bleach, thinking it might go back to white and I'd start again.

Well it didn't go white, but i like the effect so ....

I used a Tattered Angels screen, some chalkboard mists, the matching stamp to do add a butterfly. I repeated the process on the other side.

While it was drying I cut tattered flowers out of calico and chalkboarded them ... they needed 3 coats to get the deep colour I wanted.

I stitched the flowers together and added a button and then sewed them onto the bag. I also went over the butterfly with Tattered Angel Glitter glam to add some sparkle detail, and stamped some swirls in glitter glaze.

Finally I stamped the motto on using chalkboard ink sprayed onto cut n dry foam as my ink pad.

I am really proud of it ...

both sides!

And here it is with my ipad all snug inside it.

Challenges:
Stampin' Royalty - Anything but a card
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Fab n Funky - Anything Goes

Right ... thank you if you have got to the end of this post and a bigger thank you if you are not bored rigid!! The girls are off school today due to the strike so maybe a bit of crafting this morning with them, and then off to the cinema this afternoon.

Victoria

2011-11-29T10:33:00.000Z

Just a quick post from me today ... busy busy busy!!!

For this card I used one of the latest Simply Adorable digi releases over at Sugar Nellie - Victoria Standing. She is coloured using my promarkers and them I distressed the image and dp with my trusty TH distressing tool, vintage photo ink and some gold embossing powder. I added some faux stitching to the patterned papers. The embossed panel was distressed by swiping evergreen bough DI across the embossing folder before embossing the cardstock. Finally a doilly some lace and a Waltzing Mouse ssentiment stamp to finish.

Challenges:
Crafty Creations - give thanks
For Fun - thanks
PaperPlay - being thankful
Miss Muffet - thanks
Stamp with fun - faux
StampsFun=Creativity - distressing
Passion for Promarkers - sketch

Monday's offering

2011-11-28T08:16:00.002Z

Hopefully this is one of the last Christmas cards I need to make!!

Its for Ellie's best friend. I used one of Krista's fab image (will add the link in a bit!) and coloured her using my promarkers before glamour dusting her wings and frilly underskirt and cutting her out. The background is made by spritzing glimmer mist onto n embossing folder and embossing some white cardstock, and the circle is TH weathered clock with lots of bits cut out. Finally some gingham to finish it off.

Challenges:
Make it Monday
saturated Canary - anything goes
Pink Ink - sketch
2 Sisters - holiday
Craft your Passion - tis the season
Totally Gorguss - Sparkle
Cupcake Craft - krafty
Ohlala Creations - Lots of Sparkle

Christmas cards

2011-11-26T13:45:00.000Z

I enjoy playing, and in an attempt to make making the final Christmas cards enjoyable I have been playing!!

I used glossy paper and alcohol inks to create some patterned paper and then I cut out lots of circles from my nesties. Arranged them in a a tree shap, added a gold star, some gold glamour dust and some bling ... a festive tree!!

Challenges:
Fabulous Friday - metal (copper mixative and gold glamour dust)
Cardmaking mamas - sentiment
Just add ink - Baa Humbug
2 Sisters - holiday
Totally Gorguss - sparkle

We are having Christmas dinner at my Mum's this year ... so I am responsible for the table decorations ... crackers, place mats etc. I have made this place tag using SU scraps and a couple of Waltzing Mouse stamp sets, Nordic Winter and Holiday Baubles. A bit of bling to finish ... really quick and easy!!

Challenges:
Waltzing Mouse Sketches
Less is More - bling

And some snowflakes...

These were created using Tattered Angels sonwflake screens and glimmer mists to create the background. The snowflakes are made using a Spellbinders snowflake dies and they are drenched in glimmer mists. Just some ribbon, bows and pearls to complete them.

Challenges -
Charisma Cardz - snowflakes
Craft Your days Away - buttons or bows

Basic Grey Challenge

2011-11-26T07:10:00.001Z

This week's Basic Grey Challenge theme is Lost and Found ... we want you to use something you find around the house on your creation ... as well as something from Basic Grey's extensive range.

OK I used one of those little net bags you put washing powder tablets in. I cut it up into strips and strained with Expresso color wash and vintage photo stain dauber. The image, Rebecca, from Sugar Nellie's digital range, Simply Adorable, is coloured using my promarkers on kraft paper. The dp is Scarlet letter and Archaic. Once the net was dry I added it as a strip of ribbon, and tide a knot with another bit. Some flat backed pearls finish it off.

As always, our wonderful sponsor Simon Says Stamp is offering one lucky winner a fab $25 shopping spree in the Simon Says Superstore, just think of the goodies you could treat yourself to with that !!

(Please note: This is a voucher code that entitles the winner to a $25 saving off their order in Simon Says Stamp, P+P charges will still apply unless the conditions are met to earn free P+P, please check here if you would like to see these conditions)

Totally Papercrafts Challenge

2011-11-25T08:00:00.017Z

Its time for another Totally Papercrafts challenge, and this week the lovely Sarah has set the challenge, a nice easy one ...

Christmas

I have started making Christmas gifts for the girls' teachers ... and this year they are having tea light cards. I love this gift, so quick and easy!! The dp is Bo Bunny Blitzen, another favourite at the mo! I was amazed how easy and quick these cards were to make, and I'll be having a play at scaling them up for other things! I didn't attach the tealight box to the card base, just tied it in with ribbon, so the teacher can get to the tealights without destroying the card!!

We are sponsored this week by ...

Simon Says Stamp

Digi Stamp Boutique

Prize is SIX digi images to the winner

Challenges:
Creative Craft - free for all
Everybody-Art-Challenge - christmas card
Papertake Weekly - Christmas Crackers
Moving Along with the times - ribbons and bows
Cardmaking mamas - sentiment
Simply Create too - Christmas

Pampered ...

2011-11-24T11:53:00.000Z

I had a quick session in my craft room this morning before children arrived ... I confess to having coloured the image last night.

I used this cutie from Lili of the Valley and coloured her in using promarkers on kraft ... have loved this effect for a while and really should do it more! I glamour dusted her wings. The dp is Elegant Soiree from SU ... I have to take a deep breathe before I cut nito it. I distressed, paintee and inked the edges of the papers and cardstock. I added some ribbon, a tag with a TH adage ticket on it, a bow and some flat backed pearls. The mirroe is supposed to be cracckle accented ... Beth helped before she went to bed last night and held the heat gun just a little too close ... so more blistered than crackled :(

Challenges:
Crafts and me - shabby chic/vintage
Simon Says Stamp - tags
Dutchdare challenge - recipe
Lili of the Valley - anything goes
My mum's Craft Shop - things with wings

CRAFT GDT spot

2011-11-24T07:28:00.004Z

This week's CRAFT challenge is Unusual Christmas ... now I confess to have to scratch my head hard over this one!!

I used a bauble from Waltzing Mouse Stamps Holiday Ornaments set, and inked it up in that dreaded colour ... pink!!! I used some BG paper from the Blush range (very un-festive!!) and inked the edges of the bauble, dp and white cardstock in vintage photo ink. I embossed some of the cardstock using my baubles folder and then added some gingham seam binding.
Definitely different!!

Challenges:
Creative Craft - free for all
Everybody-Art-Challenge - christmas card

Warm Winter Wishes

2011-11-23T19:37:00.003Z

Isn't getting a bit chilly???

But these 2 ickle cutie penguins, Warm Winter Wishes, by Sugar Nellie, look all snug and warm. I coloured them in using my promarkers and the cardstock is all by SU. The swirl is by Memory box, and the snowflake is a Amrtha Stewart punch. The teal border has been embossed with a snowflake folder. Both have been treated to a smattering of glamour dust, as has the image. Finally I added some gingham ribbon ... very festive!

Challenges:
Creative Craft - free for all
Oh La La Creations -bingo - ribbon, diecut and sparkle
Everybody-Art-Challenge - Christmas card
Passion for Promarkers - swirls and sparkles
I love Promarkers - anything Goes
Papertake Weekly - Xmas Crackers
Color Throwdown - red, teal, baja breeze, chocolate
Papercraft Star - Anything Goes
Cooking it up with katie - PIE - punch, ink, embossing
The House that Stamps built - Christmas card that includes a snowflake

WOYWW

2011-11-23T05:08:00.003Z

Its Wednesday morning, and time for the weekly snoop across the crafting desks of blogland led by the wonderful Julia.

OK so these are my fingers after my little crafting session last night ...and my spraying clothes ...

So what was I doing???

Well I have this heavy canvas bag ... been holding all my luceting stuff, but its also the perfect size for my i-pad ... so I thought I'd tart it up and make a bag for my i-pad.

I decided to use Color washes as the base and then glimmer and glam over them once its dry ... so the spraying commenced ... was only going to use cranberry and stream ... but then twilight purple screamed at me .. and it needed a spalsh of green ...

Think I might ... just might have gone a little mad!! So I have hung it over the corner of a radiator to dry and washed the cloths and my hands are now clean ... just waiting to see what the bag lloks like dry .. hopefully a little lighter than it does now LOL!!!

Monday's offerings

2011-11-21T11:40:00.000Z

Here's a couple of cards, 1 I made last night and the other this morning before work ...

I used Rock Idol from Sugar nellie's Manga range and coloured him in using promarkers and flexmarkers. The dp is from a Cuddly Buddly digi set and I cut the stars out using nesties. The sentiment is from Penny Black.
Challenges:
Cupcake Craft Challenge - card for a tennage boy
Make it Monday

This card uses Stampin Up Well Worn dp, cajun Craze dp and SU inks. The frame, circle frame, leaves and sentiment are from Waltzing mouse stamp sets ... a bit of a mix and match going on this morning!!

CHallenges:
Waltzing mouse sketch - sketch
Shabby Tearoom - colours of nature
Pink Elephant - thankful
Diecut Dreams - thankful with circles

Green ...

2011-11-20T13:02:00.000Z

with a splash of red and grey!!!

I haven't inked up my LOTV James Christmas stamps for AGES ... but who can resist this cute ted??? I coloured him in using my promarkers and then glamour dusted the tinsel. The dp is Authentique and I used my scraps from it . I made a tag money holder that pulls out from behind the image. Would have put some money in but we seem to be rather short of notes at the mo!! I'll be off to the bank later LOL!!

I've kept it all embellishment free ... couldn't hide that dp and I do like the clean look.

Challenges:
Lili of the Valley - Christmas card for someone Special ... this is for my nephew (who would really like and i-touch, but his auntie is too stingey to buy him one, so he's getting money towards it!!)
Papertake Weekly - when a card is not a card ...
Sketch Saturday - sketch
Just us Girls - red, green, white
Stamptacular Sunday - Boy oh boy - card is for my Nephew

I haven't coloured with my new winter DIs so thought i would colour this gorgeous fairy in using them. Her wings are glamour dusted and the dp is BG Jovial. I added a panel of swirl embossed cardstock, and cut of a couple of Memory Box swirls out. And left it at that ..

Challenges:
Cute Card Thursday - green and grey
Totally Gorguss - Swirly whirly

inky inky

2011-11-19T12:37:00.000Z

I have been having a little play this morning with my DIs.

I cut a circle out of a peice of scrap card to create the mask for this card. I used DIs and created the background straight onto the card blank. I stamped the Inkylicious stamps onto the circle and added some glamour dust. Finally some flat backed pearls and a sentiment.

Challenges:
Less is More - silhouette

Allsorts - one layer card
Crazy4Challenge - Black, white and WOW (1 other colour)
One Stop card Craft - blue
Cas-ual Friday - sketch (changed the square to a circle - hope that's OK)

And I made a tag using my latest winter limited edition DIS ... the snowflakes are debossed and then rock candy crackle paint splodged into the centres and the excess scraped away ... they are all shiny nd cracked ... pity it doesn't show on the photo!! I used a scrap of card and smeared DI over it and glimmer mist. I added some glitter glam and gamour dust to finish it off. It does really sparkle ... but it doesn't show very well on the photo.

Challenges:
Crafty Catz - snowflakes
2 Sisters - Sparkle
CES - snowflakes

Sweet Stampin DT card

2011-11-19T08:00:00.004Z

This week Sweet Stampin' are celebrating ....

so the theme is

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
We have some fab sponsors:

Crafty Sentiments -

one lucky winner will receive a £10 voucher to spend in their store.

My Creative Classroom -

One lucky winner will receive a free seat to a class of their choice.

Prairie Fairy

one lucky winner will receive a $10 gift certificate to spend in their store.

Saturated Canary -

one lucky winner will receive 2 digis from their store.

The Craft Room -
one lucky winner will receive a £10 gift voucher to spend in their store.

Tiddly Inks -
one lucky winner will receive a $10 gift certificate to spend in their store.

Thank you so very much to all our fantastic sponsors!

In addition to the sponsor prizes we have some hidden candy for some random comments on not all, but some of the Design Team posts so if you you want to be in with a chance of winning some candy make sure you leave a comment on the DT cards too.

I coloured this cute image, Lili Claire - party time, from Tiddly Inks in using my promarkers, and matted her onto pale blue cardstock. The dp is K and Co, and I simply added a layered flower, ribbon and bow, and a Craftwork Cards sentiment. Very simple, but it is for one of Beth's friends, so didn't want to make it too fussy!!!

Do you stack up - a splash of blue
Tiddly Inks - Anything Goes

Totally Papercrafts Challenge

2011-11-18T06:55:00.005Z

This week's Totally Papercrafts challenge is Black and White. Up for grabs this week we have 2 fab sponsors' prizes ...

Crafty Emma

with the chance to win a voucher worth £10 to spend in her store

And a $15 Gift Certificate from our new sponsor Amber Ink.

I have kept this really clean and simple. The stamp is from Stempleglede and I stamped it in versafine ink. The stamp and mat are cut out using my deckled rectangle nesties. I used a kelly Panacini border stamp, again stamped in versafine ... and that is it ... very CAS!!

Challenges:
Divas by design - monochromatic
Crafts and me - Simples
Fabulous Friday - diecuts

Wee and tree ...

2011-11-17T21:31:00.001Z

Wee and his tree are coloured in using promarkers and having cut him out with my nesies I inked round the edges in berries DI ink. The cardstock is embossed and debossed using a snowflakes folder and all have had a dusting od DI to help define the layers. I added pearls and fluffy stuff to the image, some lace and charm .. all very simple.
Challenges:
Passion for Promarkers - white on White
I love promarkers -Christmas trees
Dutchdare Card Challenge - all white
Charisma Cardz - lace and pearls
Ohlala Creations - bingo (diecut, lace, metal)
Trully Scrumptious - Xmas - pearls
Oldie but a goodie - Let it snow
Crafts and Me - simples
Creative inspirations - sketch
Whiff of Joy - let it snow

Sugar Bowl #72

2011-11-17T09:00:00.006Z

Our Sugar Mama Gayle has set the sketch over at the Sugar Bowl challenge this week, and the optional extra is snow and ice.

One lucky winner of this challenge will have their choice of 4 stamps (or 6 stamps, if we reach 100+ entries) either from the new release or any stamps from the Sugar Nellie range at

Here's the sketch you need to follow ...

And my card ...

I used Hello Little Friend and coloured it using my promarkers and flexmarkers. The dp is Basic Grey Jovial, and the frosty border and corner were created using memory Box dies. Finally I punched some snowflakes and glamed them up a bit.

Don't forget Sugar Nellie are launching a new set of Simply Sassys at the weekend ... and the Sassy girls are doing a blog hop ... click the pic for details.

2011-11-17T08:34:00.000Z

How chuffed am I ... my vintage tag has been shown on Waltzing Mouse's Big Cheese of the week post ...

And this is what was said ....

A glittered up ornament from 2011 Holiday Ornaments is the showpiece of this creation. The holidays are the perfect time to create some tags, and Cathy demonstrates a perfect balance of rich colors and beautiful complimentary patterns on hers. Great inspiration - I see some tag creation in my future.. how about you?

Thank you so much xx

CRAFT GDT card

2011-11-17T07:52:00.009Z

I am Guest Designing for the CRAFT challenge during November, and we have a fab challenge for you this week ... Stars in your eyes.

We are sponsored by ...

I used this cutie pie, Delia, from Sugar Nellie, and coloured her using distress inks for a change. The dp is MME Penny Lane, and I used a couple of scraps of it for the top part of the card ... it's bad enough cutting this paper, let alone throwing even the tiniest scraps away. I added some gingham ribbon, flowers and flat backed pearls to finish, and a sentiment from Craftwork cards

Challenges:
Sketch Saturday - sketch
CES - roses and ribbons
Craft your days away - embellishment bingo - flowers, pearls, ribbon
Magical Monday - use scraps
Ladybug Crafts Ink - fairies
ABC challenge - D is for Dazzle

SMASH!!

2011-11-16T05:36:00.014Z

So its Wednesday and time for What's on your Workdesk, led by the amazing Julia ... (grab yourself a cuppa ... going to be a long post this one!! I have Smash stash from K and Co ... been itching to get my hands on this since I found it on you tube ... and now I have it in my hot little hands!!It has taken over my crafting space ... and suddenly I am tidier ... not that i am overly messy!

Now I confess to having dabbled with Scrapbooking, but to be honest I am a slap, stick and paste kind of person ... just like those scrapbooks we all kept as children, roughly cut articles and photos with captions. I struggle with layouts and embellishments, as as a cardmaker primarily, all my pages end up looking like cards!!! The fab thing about SMASH is I can do the kind of scrapbooking I feel comfortable with!!!
So this is what I got ...

The Eco green smash book and a mini folio book (more on that later!), pockets. tabs. clips, labels, jotting pads ... lots of yumminess ready to play with. I have decided that I am going to dedicate this book (yes I will be ordering more LOL!!) to crafting.
Here's my intro page ...

And now for the pages I have started so far ...

Stamping onto the page, doodling, sticking in tag, tape, a glassen butterfly, died flowers, filmstrip and a crackle painted grungeboard heart. The tag was made for the page but the flowers and heart are all bits I have kept from play sessions ... not perhaps good enough for a card ... but fab for a SMASH book!

I love this tag, made it using rusty hinge, vintage photo and aged mahogany DIs, a TH flourish mask and a smattering of tattered leather glimmer mist. I painted over the masked area with glitter glam from Tattered Angels ... LOVE this stuff!!

I just want to stroke that died flower!!
As well having a slight obsession with the Man himself, I also LOVE my glimmer mists, and Tattered Angels screens ... so need a page for them!

Its very much work in progress - tag created using a screen and mists, spritzed flowers, and plays with mixing colours ...Again these bits and bobs are all from play sessions, and trial gos before doing the real thing ... very rarely get it right 1st time LOL!!

Isn't that flower fab ... I pressed the cardstock into the waste from spraying the flowers, so I got the petal mask, and its been glitter glamed. A technique I am going to do again.

And another page .. pretty much finished .. I have blocked out some of my doodling as it is very personal. Love this Sassy, Amelia, and stamped her directly onto the page and added the inspirational quote from Amelia Earhart that I love. Also added a couple of sentiment stamps that have meaning to me.
Got a gingham page and a colour page and a my style page all with bits and bobs ready to smash in ...
And the mini folio book is going in my handbag .. so I can record days out, trips, just 'those' times with the girls as and when they happen ... don't need to try to remember what they said ... got my book to hand!
Hope you're not too bored ... have a fab Wednesday!

Christmas Garland

2011-11-15T08:29:00.001Z

A quick-ish Christmas card ...

I used Christmas Garland from Sugar nellie and coloured it using promarkers and flexmarkers, before adding lots of sparkle.. The dp is from DCWV Linen Closet, and I used the same dp, just debossed some snowflakes onto one of the peices. I stitched the dp ... not easy with a kitten trying to climb on my knee!! and added some lace, ribbon and a snowflake charm. The sentiment is from Craftwork Cards.

Challenges:
Dream Valley- stitching
Craft your Passion - let it snow
Cupcake Craft challenge - two's company
Incy Wincy - Tic Tac Toe - sewing, metal, ribbons
Stamps fun = Creativity - recipe - 1 dp, glitter, lace
Pink Elephant - embossing
Shabby tearoom - shabby pastel Christmas

Amelia

2011-11-13T13:31:00.000Z

I have been have been cracking on with DT cards and Christmas cards as I am going to be working silly hours in the run up to Christmas ... but i had to have a play, so I went a bit to town with inks, techniques and mess!!!

I love this Simply Sassy, I think if I had to have a favourite it would be Amelia. I stamped her twice, colouring her in just warm greys, and then in autumnal colours. I used the cracked glass technique on the warm grey image, having distressed the edges, and cut out 3 sections of the other image using my nestie saquare, and matted them onto chippy squares. I then placed them on the base image when it had been cracked and distressed.

I made the dp for the card using distress inks, glimmer mists and masks. For the background one I wanted to have a sort of circle as per the sketch i was following, so I used a fab mask called chicken wire. I used distress inks to build up the depth of colour, dried it off and then added walnust gold glimer mist. The watch/compass mask is from Tattered Angels and I sprayed over it using tuscan sunrise, brick and tattered leather. I cut the middle out of the watch/compass mask and used that to punch the butterflies (waste not want not!!!), and added a gold organza ribbon. Lace and raffia add texture, and a few pearls. I stamped a TH journalling tag using a TH sentiment, scrunched and inked it.

Challenges:
Saturated Canary - autumn colours
2 Sisters - anything goes
Daring Cardmakers - inspired by jewllery (antique gold and fob watches)
Paperplay- cracked glass
Addicted to stamps - lace and pearls
One Stop Craft - ribbons and lace
Cupcake Inspirations - colours and gemometric shapes taken from the cake
Pink Ink Sketches - sketch
Stamptacular Sunday - punch it

Baubles galore!!!

2011-11-12T08:00:00.012Z

I have been playing with my Spellbinders Ornaments dies and inks, mists, paints ... craft room has been a hive a creativity and mess LOL!!

Ist up is my card for this week's Basic Grey Challenge, which is mix and match, so get those papers from the different ranges mixed up!!

I got all arty and creative with this ... the bauble is cut out blue cardstock, and then glimmer misted using walnut gold mists. I did about three lots of spritzing and drying to get the depth of staining and sheen I wanted. I then inked round the edges using vintage photo DI. Then I ran it through my baubles folder, and painted rock candy crackle paint into all the debossed bits. I scrapped a piece of card across the top to remove the excess. After drying it off I matted it up on the Blitzen and Periphery papers by Basic Grey.

I used the same technique for this bauble (just needed to try out different colours LOL!!) and then matted it simply onto an embossed background and kraft paper. I added some bakers twine and a bow to finish it off.

And finally ...

This is made using the piece of cardstock left after cutting the bauble out for the first card. I embossed some white cardstock using my baubles folder and then simply matted it up onto navy and white cardtock before adding a Craftwork Cards sentiment.

Challenges:
Simon Say Stamp - photo inspiration
Creative Craft - minimalist
Crafting for all seasons - texture
Top tip Tuesday - Anything Christmas Goes
Fabulous Friday - embossing
Totally Gorguss - Christmas traditions

As always, the Basic Grey Challenge is sponsored by the wonderful Simon Says Stamp who is offering one lucky winner a fab $25 shopping spree in the Simon Says Superstore, just think of the goodies you could treat yourself to with that !!

Totally Papercrafts Challenge

2011-11-11T07:52:00.005Z

I love Fridays, partly as it is the last working day of the week, but mainly as it is time for the Totally Papercraft Challenge, and the DT are all amazing people, with a wicked sense of humour!!!!!

Anyway this week's challenge is Victorian.

I made a tag using GCD papers and a bauble from Waltzing mouse's Holiday Ornaments set. I stamped it in Cherry cobbler ink and then took my quickie glue pen and 'coloured in' the no-inked parts of the bauble and added gold glamour dust. Everything has been distressed to give it that vintagey feel, and these dp are very Victorian in their style. I just need to make the card for it to go on!!!

And we are sponsored this week by ...

Meljen's Designs

Prize will be FOUR digi images of winners choice.
Challenges:
Everybody-Art-Club - advent
Papertake Weekly - Christmas
Simon Say Stamp - photo inspiration

Poppy

2011-11-10T08:24:00.005Z

I love making CAS cards, don't often blog them, perhaps I should.

I used this Hero Arts stamp, and coloured it in reds and warm grey promarkers. I embossedthe kraft cardstock with a leaf folder, did some scoring and added some red gingham (loves me gingham!), very simple really.

Challenges:
Simon Say Stamp - photo inspiration
Passion for Promarkers - kraft + 1 other colour
Craft your Passion - anything goes + brown
Cute Card Thursday - red for remembrance
Just inspirational - Remembrance day

GDT card - C.R.A.F.T. Challenge

2011-11-10T08:00:00.003Z

Wow I was picked as the CRAFT challenge's Star of the Month for October, and am one of their guest designers for November - thank you girls.

The theme this week is Cute ...

I used Cherry Pip from Sugar Nellie's Homegrown range and coloured her in using my promarkers. The dp is from MME Laundry line ... love these glittery papers, just need to be brave enough to cut them once in a while. Its a bit of a colour explosion for me ... problem with having little helpers who know what papers to put together ... the dark panel wouldn't be there if it was just me, but as it is for a friend of older DD (age very nearly 7!!!) I had to use it!! She picked the embellies as well, hence that smattering of pink lOL!!

Challenges:
Stamptacular Sunday - sketch
Colour Create - turquoise, deep pink,ivory
One Stop Craft - 3 is the magic number (3 flowers, 3 layers, 3 dps)
My Mum's Craft shop - sugar and spice
Charisma Cardz - Cutsey

Candy winner

2011-11-09T20:33:00.000Z

The winner of my Charlotte candy is

........

No. 44

which is

Paula

Congratulations.

Please send me you snail mail to cathywallington@yahoo.co.uk.

Please claim by Sunday or I will re-draw it.

And there will be more candy up for grabs at the weekend.

What's on your Workdesk???

2011-11-09T05:30:00.000Z

Well its hump day ... Wednesday!! And I am mostly waiting for things to dry ... my washing, and some spritzed papers ... waiting slightly impatiently for the latter!! So I will be trotting though blogland looking at the weekly desks of the crafty peeps, hosted by the amazing Julia .

So here is my desk in all its glory ... glimmer mists and masks out .. waiting for that spritzed cardstock to dry ... might be getting the heat gun out soon!! A tube of translucent silicon in the background .. yep I buy the bulk version and put it in a gun ... lasts for ages works well in a pot or syringe and so so so much cheaper than buying the craft one .. just need to make sure hubby buys the RIGHT one LOL!!! The translucent one!
And there is a paper mache flatish bauble that I have been playing with ... decopatch (sort of) and glimmer glaze.
Oh and there is a lazy ribbon bag ... that's all the ribbons I have used that ae waiting to be put away ... need to spend some time tidying properly!!

And here is the drying project ... now to add masks and layer up DIs and glimmer mists ... when it is dry!!

I haven't forgotten about my candy ... will announce the winner later today.

Only Tuesday!

2011-11-08T11:54:00.001Z

Whilst Christmas seems to be rushing upon me ... this week is already dragging!! Can't believe it is only Tuesday .. .feels like it should be Thursday LOL!!

But I have knocked another Christmas card on the head ...

I stamped the nordic pattern onto Kraft paper using Cherry Cobbler and Garden Green SU ink, using Nordic Winter from Waltzing Mouse Stamps. The reindeer and bauble is stamped up using the same set and Holiday Ornaments. I stritched round all the panels and then added a couple of layered flowers, with brads at their centres and 3 gems to the bauble.

Challenges:
Waltzing mouse sketch - sketch
DieCut Dreams - recipe - 2 brads, 3 gems, 4 flowers
Anything Goes - stitching
Incy Wincy - stitching
Papertake Weekly - Christmas
Everybody-Art-Challenge - Advent

Dream Valley - anything goes

Ooh la La - stitching

I had to get some of the latest digis from Sugar Nellie's Simply Adorable range, and this one is Victoria . I coloured her using my promarkers and then cut her out using nesties. The dp I used is gorgeous (name escapes me ... will add it when i go back up to my craft room!!) and I stamped a script stamp onto the dp. I aded velvet ribbon and lots of flowers from WOC which I glimmered using frost and old lace glimmer mists. Finally I added some flat backed pearls.

Challenges:
Cupcake Craft - textalicious
Stampin for the weekend - sketch
Wild orchid Challenge - blue and brown

Monday's offering

2011-11-07T09:14:00.003Z

We have had a busy weekend, so very little crafting happened ... but I did make this last night ...

I stamped the Stempelglede image out and then added a bit of colour using my pens. The dp is Memory Box and I added some flat backed pearls and some organza ribbon.

Challenges:
Make it Monday
CR84FN - pale pink, black, neutral
Totally Gorguss - sketch
Karen's Doodles Challenge - lack and white + one

And here is a quick CAS card ... the Hero Arts stamp is stamped off the edge, coloured in promarkers and some flat backed pearls added.

Challenges:
Less is More - red and orange
Bows and Berries - CAS