Anything Goes Challenge #82 - Traditional Christmas Colours

Oh my goodness where does the time go? Two weeks 'til Christmas and I have hardly started on my family cards!! Mind you I am always the same, always on the last minute but in my defense I have made loads of cards for a local shop and for my company's customers.

The bi weekly Anything Goes challenge is Traditional Christmas Colours and as I have made a start on cards (two so far!) for aunts and uncles I thought I would post both of them for my DT contribution!

I am  very happy with how these turned out given they were relatively quick cards to make.

I recently bought the new Chocolate Baroque Christmas stamp sets and this is one of them. The holly stamp and the verse were stamped onto cream card which was ripped and then inked with vintage photo DI. The holly leaves and berries were coloured in using my DI markers. The small holly stamp was stamped twice and cut out and used as corners. The background  was made by dabbing peeled paint distress stain and brushed pewter metallic DS onto my craft mat then smooching the card across the inks until the card was covered. Once dry, the edges were distressed with a craft knife and matted onto gold mirri, and then onto white card.

To make the card on the right a piece of card was smooched through fired brick and tarnished brass DSs and the edges were inked with peeled paint DI and this was mounted onto a background made using a music score stamp (sorry had it so long don't know from whence it came!) which had been stamped several times to cover the card and the edges inked with peeled paint, fired brick and vintage photo. This in turn was matted onto gold mirri and the onto a white A5 card. The die cuts are Tim Holtz - the tattered poinsettia leaves were stamped with the music score and inked with peeled paint and fired brick, the deer also stamped with the music score and inked with vintage photo DI. The sentiment and the 25 are from Tim Holtz's Stacked Words decorative strip and have been coloured with Festive berries DI. The sentiment was mounted on gold mirri cut with a Spellbinders labels 18 die.

Two for the price of one this week and don't forget to visit the Craft Den for all your crafting goodies.

I am entering these cards into the following challenges:

christmascardchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ Die cuts
dreamvalleychallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ Christmas
eclecticellapu.blogspot.co.uk/ Jolly & Bright
robynsfetishchallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/challenge-137-christmas-cards-1292012.html Christmas Cards
marksfinestpapers.blogspot.co.uk/ Red & Green
sweetstampinchallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/ Dies and punches
cardcrafterscircle.blogspot.co.uk/ December Celebrations

Anything Goes Challenge #81 - Tags

Hello fellow bloggers, time for another challenge at Anything Goes and this one is all about Tags.

My DT contribution is an 8 x 8 anniversary card I made for my hubby as it was our anniversary was last week.

We usually go away on our anniversary but this year he couldn't get away from work so I used these Chocolate Baroque stamps to remind him of our favourite anniversary holiday (to date). For our second anniversary we went to Venice and it is such a beautiful place, we stayed in a very old, very elegant hotel with its own private water taxi service and we went on a gondola with a heart shaped seat. So romantic!

Doesn't this time of year make it difficult to take photos - the light is dreadful, mind you I think my camera doesn't help, its quite old now so perhaps for Christmas.............?

As the champagne and glasses stamp is distressed I carried this through the rest of the card and  tore or used a craft knife to distress the edges and the Venetian view was coloured with DIs. I used a script stamp for the background stamping it with perfect medium and embossing with clear embossing powder for a resist effect. This was then inked with mustard seed and the edges with vintage photo using a blending tool.

The two tags were also coloured with mustard seed and stamped with the Love from Chocolate Baroque and the Stampers Anonymous Capture the Moment (which seemed to be very appropriate for this card!). All the edges of the tags, mats and images were inked with vintage photo to pull everything together and add to the vintage look. Some bakers twine was wrapped aroung the base layers and tied to the tags and to complete the TH Love ticket and an anchor were added.

My hubby loved the card and he really does 'get' the whole vintage, shabby, grungy look which does make it easy to make cards for him!

All the items used can be purchased from The Craft Den owned by the lovely Lynn who sponsors our challenge blog.


I hope you like it and I am entering it into the following challenges:

pinkleart.blogspot.co.uk/ Sunday Stamper -Vintage
ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.co.uk/ Always Anything Goes
simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.co.uk/ A Project with Heart
crafty-emblies.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/5th-challenge-vintage-shabby-chic.html Vintage shabby chic
joannasheenchallenge.blogspot.ca/ Anything Goes excluding Christmas
drunkenstampers.wordpress.com/ Not too shabby

Anything Goes Challenge #80 - Stitching, Real or Faux

Hello fellow bloggers.

Firstly I must explain why I have not been blogging  recently. My hard drive died and I was so cross because it was only bought back in July when my other hard drive went to hard drive heaven. You would expect it to last more than 3 months - that's not unreasonable is it? The supplier has now replaced it but I have been computerless and unable to blog.

The worst part has been reinstalling all my software, printers and files AGAIN! Such a pain!

Anyhow rant over!

Our new challenge at Anything Goes is Stitching, real or faux. My card this time is a birthday card for my youngest grandson who was one last week and we're all delighted to hear yesterday that his mum is expecting a little brother for him.

I love this Molly Bloom scarecrow stamp and use it quite a lot, the number one and today stamps are from the Cute Campanions patchwork numbers set and all have been coloured with promarkers. The background  papers have been layered in a patchwork fashion and are from my huge stash of freebie papers which I am still on a mission to use up! Some faux stitching around the edges of the papers and a couple of craft candy adds the finishing touches.

Hope you like it.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:
artisticinspirationscrafts.blogspot.co.uk/ Recycle/Anything Goes
raisethebarchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ Birthday
challenges4everybody.blogspot.co.uk/ Anything Goes
onestopcraftchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ Anything Goes
stampinfortheweekend.blogspot.co.uk/ Stitching
ladyanneschallenges.weebly.com/anything-goes.html Anything Goes
createdwithlovechallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ Birthday with Number

Anything Goes Challenge #78 - Make Your Own Embellishments

Hello fellow Bloggers its time for another challenge over at Anything Goes which is Make Your Own Embellishments.

I seem to be drawn to 8x8 size cards at the moment - perhaps because recently they have all been family cards and this is one I made for my daughter in laws birthday. Apologies for the quality of the photo but the light was poor and  I am not the world's best photographer! Also, to be honest, I took the photo in a hurry because I was on the last minute for her birthday!

This is a favourite Stampendous stamp which has been coloured with Promarkers and cut with a labels 20 spellbinders die. The floral backing cards are from Kanban which I bought when I was at the Craft Den's birthday bash. The flowers and pins are from Creative Expressions and the three lace leaves are from a strip of lacey leaves I bought at the Happy Stampers show a while ago. The wire twists were made by wrapping beading wire around a wooden kebab stick - an embellishment I use a lot with flowers.

A relatively simple card but I think appropriate given the busy floral backing card. Hope you like it.

I shall be entering this into the following challenges:

cardmaniachallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ Happy Birthday
craftybloggersnetwork.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/challenge-number-4-sponsored-by-indigo.html Anything Goes
fashionistachallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ Anything Goes
ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.co.uk/ Always Anything Goes
simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.co.uk/ Your favourite
inthepinkchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ Pink plus one
challenges4everybody.blogspot.co.uk/ Anything Goes
tammyscrapincorner.com/ Anything Goes
especiallymade.blogspot.co.uk/p/weekly-challenge_14.html Feature 3 Leaves

Anything Goes Challenge - Animals

Another challenge from Anything Goes and this time its Animals. I had great fun with this challenge and as you can see there are lots of animals on my project!

My grandson is 3 in a couple of weeks and has just moved into his own room so what better than a door sign? He loves going to the zoo (and he is quite funny when he mimics the animal sounds) so a jungle theme seemed a good choice - and of course it fitted in nicely with our challenge.

 

 

I have used a canvas board and painted it with various acrylic paints smooching them in together to get the random effect. The animals, leaves, vines, flowers and bananas are all stamps from Creative Expressions sets, Jungle Friends, Monkeying Around and Animal Safari which were coloured with promarkers and cut out.

 

The palm trees, grass and the sign post are sissix dies which I have cut out of coredinations and sanded and the sign post was also embossed with the cuttlebug wood grain embossing folder. The letters are chipboard painted with Fresco Finish paints - firstly all over with Hey Presto then using a wet baby wipe Hyde Park and Chocolate Pudding were dabbed on to give them a khaki effect.

 

I can't wait to see his face when he sees this! I just know he is going to love it!

 

Don't forget to visit the Craft Den for all your goodies!

 

I am entering this into the following challenges:

 

cardsformen.blogspot.co.uk/ Animal Magic

craftybloggersnetwork.blogspot.co.uk/ Anything Goes

ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.co.uk/ Always Anything Goes

totallystampalicious.blogspot.co.uk/ Anything Goes

anyoneforanya.blogspot.co.uk/ All About Boys

hidinginmycraftroom.com/ Anything Goes

simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/challenge-leaf-spiration.html Leaves

charismacardz.blogspot.co.uk/ For the Guys

pinkleart.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/sunday-stamper-week-225-happy-heart.html Happy Heart

 

 





Anything Goes Challenge #76 - Sketch

The nights are drawing in and the weather is cold and miserable so what a good excuse to craft! Over at Anything Goes we have a new challenge, just follow the sketch - easy peasy. The design team have come up with some beautiful designs - as usual, do pop over and take a look.

My DT card is a commissioned birthday card for a little girl whose favourite colour is pink.

 

 

This is another 8 x 8 card, I must admit that it is one of my favourite sizes to work with. I inked up a paper doilly with DI  worn lipstick and topped this with a die cut using pink pearl card which was run through with a Happy Birthday embossing folder.

 

The image is a Penny Black stamp that I have had in my stash for a long time, sadly unused, why? because I had forgotten I had it! How many of us do that? Who hasn't bought duplicates too? Anyway when I came across it it was just right for this little girl. It was coloured with promarkers and die cut with labels 23.

 

The little birdie sentiment was die cut using Fancy Tags 2 and the other sentiment was cut freehand. The butterflies were made with the spellbinders dies Les Papillions . Some lace and pink pearls were added to finish.

 

 

I am entering this into the following challenges:

 

craftyourpassionchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ Bingo - Emboss, Pink, Flowers

kaboodledoodles.blogspot.co.uk/  Babies and/or children

lollipopcrafts.blogspot.co.uk/  Break out your punches or dies

ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.co.uk/ Always Anything goes

totallystampalicious.blogspot.co.uk/ Birthday card for a girl

nomatterwhichchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ Die cuts / Punches

sendasmile4kidschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ Anything Goes for Kids

thecraftypad.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/breast-cancer-awarenessthink-pink.html Think Pink!

joyfulstamper.blogspot.co.uk/ Always Anything Goes

 

 

 

 

 





Anything Goes Challenge #75 - Early Christmas

Oh my goodness, where does the time go, September already, the days are flying past. We also have a new challenge over at Anything Goes which is Early Christmas, although its not that far away now and  I think we are all turning our attention to all those Christmas cards we need to make so here's a reason to make a start. Do pop over and have a look at the lovely creations my fellow teamies have made.

Here is my contribution an 8 x 8 card using IndigoBlu and Creative Expressions stamps, available from the Craft Den

The background is coloured with DI aged mahogany and the new mowed lawm. When I was applying the inks I really liked the "blotchy" effect - you know that point when you have laid down the colour just before you start to blend, so left it at that stage. Using the aged mahogany I stamped the IndigoBlu 'Frosted Baubles' corner stamp in the top left corner and with a bit of manoeuvering used just the swirl and the snowflakes part of the stamp to stamp the other 3 corners.

The sentiment stamp is another from IndigoBlu  which was stamped with flitterglu and then gilded with Morris Dancer flakes, this was die cut with grand labels eleven, coloured in the die with mowed lawn and then matted onto maroon cardstock.

As it's Christmas, Poinsettias are apt as a floral embellishment and also fitted into the colour scheme lol! These stamps are from CE's Holly plate and were coloured with mowed lawn and aged mahogany with black seed beads glued in the centres. I cut down between some of the petals so they could be curled.

All the materials used here can be ordered on line from the lovely Lynn at the Craft Den.

I am entering this card into the folowing challenges:
pinkleart.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/sunday-stamper-week-221-tulips-from.html Stamped Flowers
christmascrafting.blogspot.co.uk/ Traditional Colours
challenges4everybody.blogspot.co.uk/ Anything Goes
fashionablestampingchallenges.cottagecrafts.ie/ Anything Floral
polkadoodle.blogspot.co.uk/ Flowers
artwithnoboundaries.blogspot.co.uk/ Anything Goes
ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.co.uk/ Always Anything Goes
smudgyantics.blogspot.co.uk/ Tic-Tac-Toe 3 in a row: Ribbon, 3D, Flowers
diekreativenstempelfreunde.blogspot.co.uk/ Distressed

Texture Challenge from Creative Expressions - DT Call

Hello fellow bloggers.

As you may know Creative Expressions have a DT call out and how could I not enter especially with new stamps every month as an incentive. Wow!

I have quite an ecletic style as those of you who follow my blog will know but I do have a particular penchant for anything steampunk/vintage. So with a texture challenge in mind I decided to use my CE stamps from the Vintage Inventor plate and here is my entry.

 Texture paste was used with the steampunk mask in each corner of the card and once dry the whole card was coloured with DIs Peeled Paint and Aged Mahogany.

Die cut cogs were crackled with red as the base coat and green on top, these were snipped in pieces and attached on either side of the card and topped with metal cogs. For more texture, a couple of pieces of builders scrim were coloured with the DIs and added on either side of the image. This is such a versatile medium to use and as a bonus it is self adhesive!

The Inventor was stamped onto calico fabric and coloured with diluted distress stains, a piece of wadding placed behind it and then sewn onto hessian and attached to the card with faux screw brads. The light bulb stamp was used with heatable film and fibres to create what I hope look like lit bulbs!

I love making flowers and here I have used various materials for different textures: the rose was made with kraft glassine; the rolled rose with cordinations, the carnation with tissue and dictionary paper stained with DS peeled paint and aged mahogany; another was made with lace, chiffon and a metal flower with a clear bead in the centre: a fimo rose; a string swirl; to which I added metal leaves and flower, pins and buttons with a TH die cut clock underneath.

 

At the bottom of the card I criss crossed a few bits of leftover ric rac ribbon and added clock hands and wings to the centres.To finish, a row of white fabric roses tinted with DS peeled paint and aged mahogany, a wooden bird, a crown, a pin with the word Inventor and the light bulbs.

This is a very busy piece but I think it all works together and it is an attempt to emulate the style of Finnabair whose work is really inspiring. I am so pleased with how this has turned out that I think I will put it in a picture frame and hang it in my craft room!

Apart from the CE DT challenge I am also entering this into the following challenges:

pinkleart.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/sunday-stamper-week-220-green-tambourine.html Green

fashionablestampingchallenges.cottagecrafts.ie/ Anything floral, handmade flowers

crafty-emblies.blogspot.co.uk/ Picture Perfect

everybody-art-challenge.blogspot.co.uk/ Anything Goes

stampnplus.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/challenge-3-august-flowers.html Flowers

sweetstampsblog.blogspot.co.uk/ A favourite tecnique - making flowers

simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.co.uk/ Summer distress

lovetocreatechallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ Handmade flowers

ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.co.uk/ Always Anything Goes

Anything Goes Challenge #74 Make your own Background

It's time for a new challenge at Anything Goes and the theme is Make your own Backgrounds which gives lots of scope for your entries.

I have had ink dusters in a drawer for a long time - unused, I am ashamed to admit, but I finally let them see the light of day to make this card for my granddaughter who was 4 last week.

Another item in my stash I haven't used for a while are the Big and Juicy ink pads and I chose the Hydrangea to colour the background. Each colour of the ink palette was dusted  diagonally across the card as I was aiming for a rainbow effect. Really liked the effect and can't believe how easy it was to do. I used the same inkpad to colour all the images which apart from the fence are all Molly Bloom stamps - rather appropriate as my granddaughter is called Molly and she loved the idea that the stamp was called after her!!!

The little bird was stamped and embossed randomly across the page and each was coloured with one of the colours from the Hydrangea pad. Molly, the bird on the branch and the bird house  were stamped, coloured, cut out and put in place with pinflair for dimension.

The fence was made using a stamp from the Creative Expressions Garden Create a Scene set and the flowers are die cuts using the Xcut flower dies. The spiral roses are also die cuts using the smallest Creatables rose dies and ric rac ribbon was added for the stems. Some pearls for the flower centres, a sentiment and chipboard number completed the card.

The Craft Den stocks all the items used here and lots more besides, do pay Lynn's site a visit.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

sendasmile4kidschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ Anything Goes for Kids

cardmakinmamas.blogspot.co.uk/ Try something new (inkdusters)

craftpunked.blogspot.co.uk/ Flower Power

joyfulstamper.blogspot.co.uk/ Always Anything Goes

paper-craftingjourney.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/happy-birthday-celebration-challenge.html Happy Birthday

paper-craftingjourney.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/anything-goes-challenge.html  Anything Goes

freshbreweddesigns.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/fbc-109-no-digis-rubber-stamps-only.html Rubber Stamps only

wishcraftcards.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/waste-not-wednesdays-wk28.html Forgotten stuff - unused stash/ items not used for a while etc

vintageelusionscardscrafts.blogspot.co.uk/ Bling it/Anything Goes

simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.co.uk/ No rules

ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.co.uk/ Always Anything Goes

songbirdchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ Over the Rainbow



Creative Expressions Black and White Challenge

Hi fellow bloggers. Over at Creative Expressions their current monthly challenge is to create a monochromatic card which must be predominately black and white. One of my favourite combinations and I have created this card as my submission for the challenge.

I used an image  from one of the older Creative expressions sets called Party Ladies which is a set I use quite a lot - together with the elegant ladies set, great for girly cards.



The image was stamped onto white card and the dresses were paper pieced using  polka dot papers from the Papermania capsule range. The hats were also paper pieced but black and white feathers were glued to the hats first, the skin and rose were coloured with promarkers. These were then cut with Labels 21 die and the matts were made by tracing around the outside of the same die for a narrow border again using the polka dot papers.

This lady is adorned with pearls so I strung black and white seed pearls and sewed them to the card following the stamped design, the pearls on the shoes, hat and the ring on her finger were glued into place with cosmic shimmer glue.

Using the new Spellbinders Venetian motifs and accents dies the mask and flourish were cut in black and white card. I really think the venetian set compliment this image perfectly. The flourishes were 'hooked' onto the die cuts to create an extension of the hats and a little cosmic shimmer aqua twinkles was added around the eyes of the masks.

This is an 8 x 8 card onto which I matted black card and the same polka doe paper as used for the dresses, the images were mounted with foam pads and the masks with glue gel. The corners are pieces cut from the Venetian border and a B&W striped ribbon down the middle was added to finish off (and to conceal the join of the papers lol).

I hope you like this card and I intend to also enter it into the following challenges:

cardsundmore-challengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/ Anything Goes
craft-roomchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ Fashion
paperandsuchonline.blogspot.co.uk/ Stamping on Designer paper
papertakeweekly.blogspot.co.uk/ Spots and stripes
ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.co.uk/ Always Anything Goes
crazychallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ Black and white and one other (Red)
creativeinspirationspaint.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/ci-paints-inspired-by-monochromatic.html  Monochromatic
dreamvalleychallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ Die Cuts and Punches
nomatterwhichchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ Anything Goes
onestitchatatimechallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ Anything Goes
robynsfetishchallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/ Monochromatic cards
ribbongirls.blogspot.co.uk/ Bingo - Ribbon, Pearls & Image

Anything Goes Summer Days Challenge #73

Time for a new challenge at Anything Goes and this one is all about Summer Days and the DT have come up with some fab ideas and interpretations for the theme.

Summer for me is all about colour and flowers and one of my favourite flowers is the poppy - I love the vibrant red of this flower. I used the IndigoBlu stamps from the Poppy Meadow sheet which are available at the Craft Den

The background was coloured by blending scattered straw, dried marigold and fired brick DIs. The Poppies were coloured with fired brick, peeled paint and black soot DIs. The butterflies are die cuts using Tim Holtz alterations dies and these were dry embossed with a cuttlebug folder,coloured using DIs and a few red beads added to create the bodies.

 I am entering this into the following challenges:

cheerfulstamppad.blogspot.co.uk/ Coming up orange

craftyourpassionchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ Anything Goes

diekreativenstempelfreunde.blogspot.co.uk/ Stamp scene

fashionistachallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ Birthday

fashionablestampingchallenges.cottagecrafts.ie  Anything Goes

thatcraftplaceblog.blogspot.co.uk/ Things with Wings

ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.co.uk/ Always Anything Goes



Anything but Square Challenge #72 at Anything Goes

Hello bloggers. I have been computerless as the harddrive died in my laptop. I was in such a panic as I hadn't backed up for a while - I know, that's a cardinal sin and working for a software house I should know better! Anyway, our fab engineer has manged to recover all my pics, files, etc phew! Problem is now I have to reinstall all my programmes, settings, connections  and check up on licenses what a pain!

Right this week our challenge at Anything Goes is Anything but Square - easy peasy.

My contribution is a card I made for my stepson's birthday using IndigoBlu stamps from the Craft Den.

The ships compass from the Grand Tour set was used for the background  and stamped with versamark and then embossed with clear embossing powder. The main image was done using DIs to colour the sky and ground and I sprayed the cloud stamp from Nature 1 with water, stamped it on the sky and blotted with kitchen paper. Cool technique this to get more realistic looking clouds. The balloon is also from the Grand Tour 3 collection and this was stamped and embossed then the ballon was coloured with chipped sapphire. I used torn paper and a blending tool then  the trees stamp to create the hedging. The chap with the binoculars is the IndigoBlu stamp 'I spy' which I stamped, embossed,  coloured with chipped sapphire, cut  out and sat him on top of the main image. The card was finished with the suitcase decoupaged and a metal compass embellishment.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

craftybloggersnetwork.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/monday-challenge-1-anything-goes.html

fashionistachallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ Birthday

http://ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.co.uk/ Always anything goes

allsortschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ Distressing

atcswithattitude.blogspot.co.uk/ Anything Goes

itsallaboutthevintagechallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ Anything Vintage

divasbydesignchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/  Anything Goes

dudetimedoodles.blogspot.co.uk/ Anything Goes but must be for a Dude

nutcrafters.blogspot.co.uk/ One for the Boys

Lavender and Lace Anything Goes Challenge #71

It's time for a new challenge at Anything Goes and this week we have gone all feminine with Lavender and Lace. Pop over to the Anything Goes site to check out the great designs my fellow DTs have come up with.

My contribution uses the lovely  Kanban Couple stamp from the Craft Den.

This card was made for a wedding, I love this stamp which I coloured with Promarkers and die cut with spellbinders. The background was embossed using the Creative expressions lattice embossing folder. The flowers on the lace look rather like bells so seemed appropriate. The floral bouquet uses flowers and ribbon from my stash, and my favourite embellishment at the moment are the lace leaves I bought at Happy Stampers recently. I also added a wire heart which I made with beaders wire.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:
craftybloggersnetwork.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/monday-challenge-1-anything-goes.html
ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.co.uk/ Always anything Goes
simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.co.uk/ Layers
totallystampalicious.blogspot.co.uk/ Favourite embellishment
craftymesschallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/ Ribbons and Lace

Polka Dot with a Birthday Theme #70

Time again for another challenge at Anything Goes. This fortnight is Polka Dots with a Birthday Theme and my DT sisters have once again come up with some fabulous projects.

I have used the IndigoBlu Happy Birthday stamp with their flitterglu and Lancashire Rose gilding flakes all of which are from the Craft Den and this has been die cut with Spellbinders label 21.

I love shabby chic and these backing papers  from a Nancy Watt collection are gorgeous.  The paper roses were cut using one of my favourite Creatables dies and made from the same paper collection. The gold netting was a purchase from a lovely little craft shop in Mechelen, Belgium. The glue dots were done using Cosmic Shimmer gold PVA glue and the bow is vintage ribbon all available from the Craft Den.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

lovetocreatechallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ Anything Goes
ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.co.uk/ Always Anything Goes
panpasteluk.blogspot.co.uk/ Anything Goes
greatimpressionsstamps.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/challenge-4die-cuts-or-punches.html
letsinkitup.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/challenge-24.html Favourite embellishments
pileitonchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/pile-it-on-challenge-26-make-your-own.html Make your own embellishments
quirkycrafts.blogspot.co.uk/ Handmade flowers and ribbon
http://craftycalendarchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/Flowers in bloom
sweetstampinchallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/ Ribbons and bows
stampinfortheweekend.blogspot.co.uk/ Show us your style
movingalongwiththetimes.blogspot.co.uk/ Happy Birthday
audsentimentschallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/ Bingo, "Happy", Ribbon & Die Cut
divasbydesignchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ To die for

Around the World: Anything Goes #69

Well it's time again for a new challenge from Anything Goes and its anything to do with Travel. The DT have really done themselves proud and there's plenty of variety and inspiration to help your mojos! (if you need it).

My project is a card using the IndigoBlu stamp, Wish you were here, which I bought from the Craft Den, in fact all the items used on this card are available from the Craft Den.

I love this image and as it represents a picture postcard  that was the theme I used for my card. I have a very old stamp plate which, I am ashamed to admit, I have hardly used but it  includes a postcard stamp and a postal stamp, unfortunately I cannot remember the name of the stamp company.

The background was done with the script stamp from the Sarah's Choice plate from IndigoBlu using the embossing powder resist technique  then blended with DIs. Six postcards were stamped and aged with DIs and in a sort of random fashion adhered to the background, hopefully to look as if they have landed on the doormat!

Glossy card was coloured with alcohol inks and softened with blending solution, then stamped with the Wish You were Here stamp, stamped around the edge with the postal stamp and mounted onto brown cardstock. A Creative Expressions sentiment stamp, vintage bakers twine and a little suitcase charm added the finishing touches.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

gingerloftchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ Vintage
cardcrafterscircle.blogspot.co.uk/ Monochromatic - shades of brown
crafts4eternity.blogspot.co.uk/ Travel
4craftychicks.blogspot.co.uk/ Monochromatic
artwithnoboundaries.blogspot.co.uk/ Anything Goes
craftyourpassionchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ Anything Goes
ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.co.uk/ Always Anything Goes
simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.co.uk/ Anything Goes
trulymadlycraftychallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ Monochrome
charismacardz.blogspot.co.uk/ Travel

Anything Goes Challenge #68 - Anniversaries

Hi fellow bloggers, time for another challenge over at Anything Goes and wow the DT have come up with some fab creations.

This weeks challenge is Anniversaries - to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee so it seemed only right to use my new  Pomp and Pageantry sheet  from IndigoBlu which I had bought from the Craft Den.

I haven't done a scrapbook page for ages and these Papermania Portobello Road papers were crying out to be used and they teamed up so well with the Pomp and Pageantry stamps - well I thought so anyway! I stamped the Pomp and Pageantry and Quintessentially English sentiment stamps randomly over the background paper and the Great Britain stamp was coloured with Distress markers and then stamped onto white card four times, cut out with a punch and glued randomly onto the background paper.

The lady, gent and lions heads were stamped and coloured with DIs, cut out and glued on with pinflair glue for dimension.  ER letters are chipboard which were painted with gold Eco paint and the crown was cut with a spellbinders die and I used felt and  gems to decorate it.

The flowers were made with coredinations paper and TH floral strip die and the bunting was made using some cocktail sticks with the union flag on which I got from a local discount shop. I made a mould from a rose shaped button and then used Fimo to make the red, white and blue roses. The photo was downloaded from the internet.

I am entering this project into the following challenges:

pinkleart.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/sunday-stamper-week-207-words.html Words

cateredcrop.com/ Add felt

joannasheenchallenge.blogspot.ca/ Remember When

panpasteluk.blogspot.co.uk/ Diamond Jubilee

unityopportunity-challenge.blogspot.co.uk/ Stamp on designer paper

thecraftypad.blogspot.co.uk/ Colours of your flag

craftyourdaysaway.blogspot.co.uk/ Red, white and blue

thehappyscrapperschallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ Anything Goes

alphabetchallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/ H for handmade flowers

glittergeeks.blogspot.co.uk/ Diamond Jubilee

hotshotcraft.blogspot.co.uk/ Die cuts

happydazedesignteam.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/may-challenge-may-queen.html May Queen

artwithnoboundaries.blogspot.co.uk/ Anything Goes

ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.co.uk/ Always Anything Goes

thepapergirlschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ Get out your Chipboard

Anything Goes Challenge #67 - Colour Combo, Black with one other

Time for a new challenge from Anything Goes which is a colour combo of black with one other  (you can use colours for hair and skin). The Design Team have come up trumps with their samples and such diversity so lots of inspiration there.

My contribution uses some of the fab IndigoBlu stamps from the Sewing Mends the Soul sheet which I bought at the Craft Den's birthday bash. To be truthful I bought quite a few IndigoBlu sets so there will  be lots of projects using these fantastic stamps for future challenges

The sewing implements stamps from the set were clear embossed to create the backing card, the TH pattern and stitch embossing folder was using to give texture to the black card and the Winged Dress Form stencil was used to emboss some cordinations card which was sanded to highlight the design.

The mannequin is the TH die which was cut in black card and just the body in canvas. The bodice stamp was stamped on teal card in black and embossed, ribbon was added for the straps and suspenders. A button punch, ribbon, buttons, charms, pins, hooks and eyes, press studs and a sentiment from the set finished the card. 

I am entering this into the following challenges:

ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.co.uk/ Anything Goes

ooh-la-la-creationschallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ Ribbon

simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.co.uk/ Anything Goes

stampandcreateblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/may-challenge-for-ladies.html One for the Ladies

papercraftbliss.com/thejourney/ Black and one other colour

craftsandmechallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ Punches and Dies

thepapershelter.blogspot.co.uk/ Anything Goes

trulymadlycraftychallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ Five elements - buttons, ribbon, die cuts, charms, press studs

creativecraftchallenges2.blogspot.co.uk/ Distressing

lejdesignschallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/ Layers

Anything Goes Challenge #66 Things with Wings

Time for a new challenge at Anything Goes and this time we want to see Things with Wings. The DT have designed some great projects - as usual, so do pop over and have a look.

Last week  was the Craft Den's fourth birthday so to celebrate Lynn held an open day and the lovely Kay from IndigoBlu was there all day demonstrating her fantastic stamps. In the evening those of the DT, past and present, who could make it were treated to a lovely buffet and a workshop courtesy of Lynn.

I opted to make a spool display and although I didn't complete it that night I finished it at home and this is my project for this weeks challenge.

The spool was made with a tin foil tube, circles of card cut with spellbinders and then covered in music score card. These were coloured, as was everything else with DIs, Aged Mahogany, Faded Jeans and Wild Honey, my favourite combo at the moment!

The large flowers were made with grungepaper and  Wendy Vecchi stamps and glued to bamboo skewers which I'd inked with DI Forest Moss. The flower in front was made using tattered florals and a spiral rose. Although they can't  really be seen there are also other two flowers on the base made from tissue and dictionary papers which had been cut with spellbinders, coloured with the inks and scrunched up to look like carnations.

The butterflies were EI stamps and TH movers and shapers butterflies all coloured with the DIs. I have used TH mini pins and pen nibs for the bodies of the butterflies, and some builder's scrim on the bases. All the products I used are available from the Craft Den.

I am entering this project into the following challenges:
craftyourpassionchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ Textures

heart2heartchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/April Showers Bring May Flowers

hookedoncraftchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ Flowers

trulymadlycraftychallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ Handmade Flowers

corrosivechallengesbyjanet.blogspot.co.uk/ Tim Holtz

creativeinspirationspaint.blogspot.co.uk/ Inspired by Flowers

movingalongwiththetimes.blogspot.co.uk/ Flowers

panpasteluk.blogspot.co.uk/ Spring Time
flourishes.org/category/challenges/timeless-tuesday/ Butterflies
sassycherylschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ Flowers
toptiptuesday.blogspot.co.uk/ Anything but a card
tuesdaythrowdown.blogspot.co.uk In the garden
http://joannasheenchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/flower-power.html

Birthday Card for hubby

It was my hubby's birthday yesterday and I made this card for him. He has a small yacht which is berthed up in Scotland and he likes nothing better than getting away from it all and taking her out in the Firth although he doesn't get up there as often as he would like.

I usually make him a card with a nautical theme and this year was no different and I used my new stamps from Creative Expressions to make it. The background was done with the distress stains I have just bought - resisted for a long time but after doing a workshop with Hels was totally sold!

On a sad note it would have been my Dad's birthday too - yes they shared the same birthday, but he passed away last year. Difficult time - celebrate one person's birthday and be sad that the other is no longer with us to  celebrate.

My Dad loved my cards and when we sorted through his belongings he had kept every card I had made him and I must admit I shuddered a bit at my early attempts, they seemed so primitive. I have come along way since then thank goodness but we all have to start somewhere I guess.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:
fashionablestampingchallenges.cottagecrafts.ie/?p=3044 Nautical theme
everybody-art-challenge.blogspot.co.uk/ Card for a Man
paperminutes.blogspot.co.uk/ Use your newest stamp
mimchallegeblog.blogspot.co.uk/ Male sports or Hobbies
simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.co.uk/ Anything Goes
letsinkitup.blogspot.co.uk/ Distressing
panpasteluk.blogspot.co.uk/ One for the Boys
happydazedesignteam.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/april-challenge-april-showers.html Watery theme

Anything Goes ~65 Tick Tock Goes The Clock

Hello fellow bloggers, its been a while since my last blog but have been poorly and unable to meet my DT commitments but I am on the road to recovery and ready to start crafting again. I have had severe withdrawal symptoms and am raring to go now.

My daughter was home from uni last week and we had a couple of days just crafting, getting inky and generally having fun. What a tonic! This is what I produced which was for the Anything Goes challenge which this time is Tick Tock Goes the Clock - anything Time related or Steampunk.

So enjoyed making this canvas. I used stencil paste and That Something Special masks, clock and steampunk, to create a relief on the canvas and  gessoed the canvas and then gave it a wash of watery red acylic paint. Using DIs, stamps and various stencils and sequin waste I created the background

The rectangles are mountboard pieces that I had cut and each was coloured using distress inks and stamped using Creative Expressions, Paper Artsy and Stampers Anonymous stamps all available from the Craft Den. The die cuts are Tim Holtz alterations as are the ideology again all from the Craft Den.

Its nice to be back in blog land and I hope you like my latest project.


I am entering this into the following challenges:

pinkleart.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/sunday-stamper-week-201-man-of-world.html
artwithnoboundaries.blogspot.co.uk/ Anything Goes
cheerfulstamppad.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/challenge-40-from-past.html
ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.co.uk/ Always Anything Goes
simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.co.uk/ Anything Goes
letsinkitup.blogspot.co.uk/ Distressing
stamptacularsundaychallenge.blogspot.co.uk Freebie week - anything goes
takeaword.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/take-word-challenge-time.html
dreamvalleychallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ Earthtones
craftyourdaysaway.blogspot.co.uk/ Metal

Commissioned Valentine Card

A colleague commissioned a Valentine card for his partner and he asked for it to incorporate a butterfly on the front which opened up to reveal a heart inside which in turn lifted up to reveal the verse. After consultation we decided how the end result should look and the colour pallet.

I have made numerous cards in the past for my colleague and those for his partner always have to incorporate a butterfly as she has a  soft spot for them.

I made two 8" black card squares and stuck one to the other and created a gate fold card,  then half a butterfly was cut out from each of the fold back panels. A smaller set of wings were cut from red card which were stamped and gold embossed with swirly stamps,  another set were cut from gold holographic card and a final set from black card also stamped and gold embossed with the swirls.

 Two pieces of the backing paper - a freebie from A Passion for Papercrafting, were backed with red card and gold holographic and affixed to the two front panels. Some gold ribbon, gold crystals on the butterfly body and corners and antenna made from beading wire and beads finished the front of the card.

 The inside

The heart was made using a Creative Expressions mandala heart stamp, I really like this stamp it is layers of frills and there is so much that can be done with it. I stamped it 3 times on red card but the first was a folded piece of card. The 3 layers were glittered with Pee wee glitters in gold, red and white and a tassel was added to the bottom of the heart.

Gold holographic card was mounted onto red card and adhered to the inside of the card. A row of cushioned heart ribbon, the die cut word 'Love', red oval crystals and the heart were added. The verse that had been chosen was printed out and cut to size to fit in the folded heart.

Opened heart

I must admit that I was a little apprehensive  when I gave this to my colleague because at the end of the day this was my interpretation of his ideas . He was delighted with it - big sigh of relief!!!

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

craftybloggersnetwork.blogspot.com/ Love is in the Air

craftybootschallenges.blogspot.com/ Valentine

diekreativenstempelfreunde.blogspot.com/ Valentine

hookedoncraftchallenges.blogspot.com/ Hearts

lexiscreations.blogspot.com/ Love

ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.com/ Always anything goes

ooh-la-la-creationschallenges.blogspot.com/ Be my Valentine

scrappersdelightspapercrafts.blogspot.com/ Love

http://simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.com/ Anything Goes

stampandcreateblog.blogspot.com/search/label/Challenge Valentines

addicted-to-stamps-challenge.blogspot.com/ Valentine/Love

dreamvalleychallenges.blogspot.com/ Valentine

Whoopsi Daisy Sketch Challenge

Time for another challenge over at Whoopsi Daisy and this week we have a great sketch from Sande one of our Daisy Divas.

Please remember that to be in with a chance of winning you must use a WD image and there is a freebie here for you to use.

This week I have used this fab image from sheet 339, she just cried out to be steampunk-ed (is there such a word - well there is now!)

The teal card was stamped with versamark using a Paperartsy stamp from the clocks stamp plate and embossed with clear embossing powder, the cream backing papers are from Funky Hands Steamfunk set, all were distressed with a craft knife.

A piece of teal card was dry embossed with a cogs embossing folder which had been inked with versamark and  heat embossed with clear embossing powder, teal ribbon was tied around the card and finished with a knot. The image was coloured with promarkers, die cut 'out of the box' and matted onto teal card and mounted onto the embossed card. 

Die cut cogs were painted with teal paint onto which were attached brass cogs and topped with pearls were placed down the side of the image. A safety pin with a key was pinned to the ribbon knot. The metal corners and butterfly were coloured with espresso alcohol ink to distress them, the butterfly was adhered to the play ticket in a TH pin.

I really enjoyed putting this together as it was challenging to use a WD image and do something a little bit different with it.

I am entering this in the following challenges:

getfunkyandcraft.blogspot.com/ Use blue

onestitchatatimechallenge.blogspot.com/ Anything Goes

papersundaes.blogspot.com/ Sundae Bar - cream, blue, distressing and pearls.

thecraftypad.blogspot.com/ The letter "B" - blue, butterfly, brown

allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/ Free and Easy

paperprettiesblog.blogspot.com/ Add texture

incywincydesigns.blogspot.com/ Recipe 3 embellishments, 2 papers and 1 image

ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.com/ Anything Goes

papercreationsink.com/ 3 embellishments, 2 papers and 1 image

simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.com/ Anything Goes