Snowman Christmas Card

This will be my last post before Christmas and I'd like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Peaceful, Prosperous New Year. I'd also like to thank those of you who have supported and encouraged me in my artistic endeavours this year, you really have no idea how much it means!

Anyway, here's a little snowman card that I batch made using Sizzix/Tim Holtz stamps and matching dies. They're really quick and easy, so much so that I managed to create matching envelopes.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Claire x

Ho Ho Ho...... Thank goodness for Tim Holtz and Sizzix!!!

I know I said I be back a few weeks ago...... whistles.... but you know life it just keeps happening and whoosh before you know it weeks have gone by!

Anyway, I'm seriously behind with my Christmas preparations and needed some super speedy makes. Rummaging through my unopened stash I came across a stamp and die set from Tim Holtz/Sizzix. So I opened them up and set to work.... wow is all I have to say! I don't think I've ever made so many cards in such a short space of time.

I even managed to make matching envelopes. :)

I've not quite finished making cards yet.... so I've opened another set of dies and stamps and am all set to create a few more cards. Hopefully, I'll be back with these within the next couple of days.

Whilst I'm here I'll also give you the heads up for Friday 16/12 at 11 am when the fabulous Nikky Hall from Polkadoodles will be on Create and Craft TV with a brand new launch of Papers (yes I said PAPERS!!!), Dies and a new CD. Seriously, having been lucky enough to make up some samples with the new kit, you do not want to miss out, they are lush! I'll post one of my samples here on Friday but if you get a chance pop over to the Polkadoodles Facebook page where you can see my fellow teamies stunning creations.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Claire x

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

More Poop!

Happy Halloween!!!

It's time for another challenge over at Stampotique and this time we want to see your Funny Halloween creations! Now I have to say I struggled with this challenge - a) cos I'm not very funny and b) twice I went to make something and saw that someone on the DT had used the stamp in a similar way! So I'm afraid to say that I've gone for baseline humour and produced Bat Poop!

I used my new Sizzix Box Die (656245) to make the box which was then covered with Distress Ink and Pearl Glimmer Mist before over stamping with Abstract Foliage. The sentiment has been computer generated, printed onto acetate and then highlighted with white gel pen. The image Batty was stamped onto scrap card, cut out and given a coat of Glossy Accents before being mounted onto the assembled box. To finish I added some choccie raisins. I've made a small stash of these to hand out to any Trick or Treaters that may come calling tonight.

I really hope that you'll be joining us for this challenge. Remember you can use any stamps and  we've made a change to the submission rules "You will now have until the first challenge of the following month to submit your entries-we will only have one Inlinkz per month (at top of blog); so today marks the start of the challenges for October and it will run through the close of our last challenge for October on November 6, 2012 at noon ET" which means that you now have even longer to take the opportunity to play along with us.

If you're celebrating tonight have a fantastic time. I'm taking my son out Trick or Treating we then have a few friends over for a bite to eat and few drinks! Thanks for stopping by today.

Claire x

I'd like to enter this project into the following challenges:

Make It Monday - Anything goes

Inspire me Fridays - Anything goes
Tando Creative - Purple, Orange, Green & Black

It's a Royal Affair!

Good morning, it's time for another challenge over at Polka Doodles. Now as it's the Queen's Diamond Jubilee weekend we want you to make a project to celebrate that, you can use anything that suggests royalty. Wether it be colours such as purple, red, gold or gemstones such as diamonds, or even using the union flag you decide!

I wasn't really sure what to do for this weeks challenge, but after a long hard think I decided that I wanted to make a fun project that I could use for my Jubilee party. So I've made a birdhouse, this photo heavy so be warned!

The birdhouse template has been taken from the Candy Doodles Collectors Edition CD. As the template is a bit bigger than I wanted for this project, I simply copied the image, pasted it into a Word document and resized it. The template was then printed onto cardstock. I placed the roof part of the template back into the printer and printed the free Polka Doodles Blue Jubilee paper on the opposite side. 

Once all of the house pieces had been cut out, I poked a hole in the centre of the roof and in the bottom of the floor. Gold thread was then passed through roof to make a hanging loop - I used a dot of hot glue on the knot to ensure that it was secure. I then passed a length of gold thread through the house floor and again used a dab of hot glue to secure the knot. The house was then assembled as per the instructions with the exception of cutting out a window at the front of the house.

The bunting was made using another free Polka Doodles paper that I resized and printed out several times before cutting down into triangles and gluing onto twine. I used the left over scraps of blue paper to create the heart shaped windows.

The hanging hearts and crown were made using an image from the same set as the papers (this was a freebie set that Nikky Hall created for this months challenge over on our Facebook page Polka Doodle Dandies). I simply resized the images in my graphics programme, coloured them with Promarkers, chucked a bit bling onto the crown and then hot glued them in place.

The little mouse image has been taken from the Sugarplum Daisy CD. She normally wears a pair of dungarees and a flower in her hair, but I have made her a new set of clothes especially for this project! The ER has been cut from a Tim Holtz/Sizzix Market Place Die. I've finally got around to using my Memory Box Wrought Iron Fence Die! I finished the whole thing off with a bit of organza ribbon from Crafty Ribbons and computer generated dates.

So if you've got this far well done!!! I hope you all have a fantastic Jubilee Weekend, and I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that the sun shines forthe duration of it!

Thanks for stopping by today

Claire xxx

I'd like to enter the following challenges:
Kuretake - Red, White & Blue with a bit of bling
My Mum's Craft Shop - Red, White & Blue
Crafts & Me - Ribbon
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
 I ♥ ProMarkers - Use a digi
Cooking It Up With Katie - Celebrate with ribbon & a die cut
Divas By Design - Anything goes
Just keep On Creating - Anything goes
Penny's paper Crafty - Anything Goes
Creative Craft Challenges - Red, White & Blue
Everybody Art - Anything but a card
Bunny Zoe's - Anything goes
Cupcake Craft - Royalty
Make it Monday - Anything goes
OSAAT - Red, White & Blue
Pan Pastel UK - Diamond Jubilee
Craft Your Days Away - Red, White & Blue

Delicious Doodles Challenge - Marina The Mermaid & Friends Layered Card

Morning folks. I hope you had a fantastic Easter and that the Bunny bought you lots of lovely chocolate!!! We unexpectedly ended up having guests which although hard work was really enjoyable! Anyway, it's time for another Delicious Doodles Challenge which this week is LAYERS, so we want to see lots of layers on your projects.

I've used the fabulous images Marina and Seahorses for my stepper card. Unfortunately, my photos really don't do this card justice, but try as I might I just couldn't get one that shows the true colours and depth and sparkle :(

The image has been coloured with a combination of Promarkers and Flexmarkers. The fish and Marina's lips have been given some dimension with Glossy Accents, her tail has been given the Stickles treatment and I've added some Clear Star Sakura Gel Pen to the bits in her hair. I've then mounted the image onto some sea green paper and Rock Star Stack Papers from DCWV.

The stepper card base was then covered with a sea green paper. The waves have been cut using a Sizzix Tim Holtz Alterations On The Edge Scrollwork Die. The sea creatures have been created by importing a copy of the images into a graphics programme, removing all of the surplus items and then re-sizing and flipping the fish and sea-horses as appropriate. They've then been coloured, cut out and mounted onto the card using silicone glue and if necessary acetate. The sea weed has been cut from some scraps of paper using Spellbinders Foliage Dies.

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you all have a fabulous weekend. I'm not sure what we're upto, but I'm considering a trip into London to visit the Dungeons and The London Eye.

Claire xxx

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Crafts & Me - 3D
My Mum's Craft Shop - It's a celebration
Scrapbook Sisters - Anything goes
Craft Your Passion - Shaped Cards
Love to Create - Birthday
Make it Monday - Anything Goes
Paper Pretties - 2 or more papers
The Crafty Pad - Use a die

OMG 18 Years!!!

Good morning to you all. Sorry for the lack of a card for the last Delicious Doodles challenge, but life has been a touch frantic here. Anyway, I'm here for this weeks challenge which is texture. We want to see at least two different types of texture on your cards - think fabric, twine, embossing, distressing etc..... I'll be back with a second post later today, so keep your eyes peeled for that one (I have a feeling that you will not want to miss it!!!).

I decided that I'd use this challenge as an opportunity to make my Anniversary card for my hubby. We've been married for 18 years in April - I'm not quite sure how that's happened, but I've double checked and it's definitely 18 years!!! However, now I've made it I'm not sure if it's too girly??? :( So Mrs Organised, isn't quite so smug now as it's looking like I'm gonna have to make another card :/

Anyway, here's my card - what do you think?? Too girly???

I found this card blank in my stash, but sadly have no idea where it came from, so if you recognize it let me know as I really enjoyed working with it!

The image is of course Teri's Mr & Mrs Owl which I've paper pieced using some of those hoarded scraps "that might come in useful!". I've added some dimension to them with Glossy Accents and a bit of sparkle with Stickles. The tree branch has been cut free-hand in Kraft card and then run through the Big Shot in a Sizzix Wood-grain embossing folder before being swiped with Walnut Stain Distress Ink. I used my Spellbinders Foliage Die to cut and emboss the leaves. These have then been snipped into singles and clusters.

The sentiment has been computer generated using this font and then punched out with a Fiskars Squeeze Punch. I've then used my pokey tool to create stitching holes before joining them a fine marker pen. The heart has been attached to a piece of twine and hung from the branch. I attached it with silicone glue to hold the twine taught.  I used Broken China Distress Ink to create a cloudy sky background on the card blank before mounting it all into place.

If you're not stopping by later for my second post, then I hope you all have a fantastic weekend.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Claire xxx

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Crafty Purple Frog - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Stamp n Doodle - Embossing
Creative Mondays - Anything Goes
Get Hippity With Ippity - Things with wings
Lollipop Crafts - Anything Goes
Make It Monday - Anything Goes
Paper Creations Ink - Things with wings
Paper Pretties - Paper Piecing
Stamp & Create - Paper Piecing

Birdcage Christmas Decoration

OK I'm back again with another Crafty Ribbons Favourite Top 5 project. This time it's a tree decoration using one of my favourite Sizzix dies - Tim Holtz's Bird Cage.

I cut the birdcage using chipboard, sprayed it with bronze cosmic shimmer spray and then daubed it lightly with gold acrylic paint which gives it a slightly shabby finish. The ribbon was glued into place then a backing of black card was mounted onto the reverse of the cage. The bird was cut from some music script paper that was in my stash and I inked the edges with Distress Inks. To finish I added a Poinsettia Sticker, a jump ring and some narrow gold ribbon.

Materials
Happy Christmas Ribbon - Crafty Ribbons
Chipboard from stash
Cosmic Shimmer Spray - Bronze
Acrylic Paint - Gold
Distress Ink - Walnut Stain
Papers from stash
Poinsettia Sticker - from stash
Tools - Tim Holtz Birdcage Die, Sizzix Big Shot

I'd like to enter this ornament into the following challenges:
Samuel Taylors - Anything goes, prize: Kaisercraft mini albums and Jillibean Soup 6x6 paperstack
Crafts & Me - Christmas
Sparkles Forum - Anything but a Christmas card

Clean & Simple Snowflake Card

I was lucky enough to be selected to take part in the Crafty Ribbons Top 5 Ribbons Challenge. Over the next couple of days, I'll be showing you the projects that I made for them.

 First up is this clean and simple snowflake card. It was a really quick and easy make and I will be doubtless be making a few more of these!

The embossed and glittered background was made using an embossing folder and Stickles. The sentiment is computer generated. I've added a bit of ribbon and that's it done! See told you it was easy.

Materials
White Cardstock - The Papermill
Snowflake Embossing Folder - Sizzix
Stickles - Starburst
Ribbon - Crafty Ribbons
Sentiment - LD Glorious

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Card Making Mamas - Christmas
Frosted Designs - Ribbons
Fussy & Fancy Friday's - Mono & Sparkle
Glitter Geeks - Anything goes
Marks Finest Papers - Make a Christmas Card
One Stop Craft - Christmas Sparkle

Christmas Bird House

I'm back with another one :) Are you fed up of seeing them yet?? If so I'm sorry, but they are soooo addictive! This time I've made a Christmas bird house, which was really quick and simple.

I painted the house with acrylic paint, applied some patches of crackle glaze and then sponged gold paint over it using a baby wipe. The bird is from the Sizzix Tim Holtz Birdcage Alterations Die, I chopped his tail and legs off . The flowers, button and ribbon were in my stash.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Claire xx

I'd like to enter this project into the following challenges:
Little Claire's Designs - Christmas
Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
ABC Christmas Challenge - V is for vintage
Cooking It Up With Katie - Anything but a card
Freshly Brewed - Anything goes
Paper Shelter - Christmas Fun
Bearly Mine - Anything but a card
Christmas Inspiration - Bows
I Did It Creations - Christmas

LOTV Wedding Couple Vintage Card & A Box Envelope

Morning folks and a very happy 4th July to all my US readers.

DH came home from work on Friday and said "I need a really nice card made by next weekend!" Normally it wouldn't have been a problem, but I have soooo many cards and projects on the go this month that squeezing one more in seemed like an impossibility. However, I have to say I have done very little this weekend except craft, to the extent where I had the luxury of spending the whole of yesterday just making this card and envelope. Yep that's right my DH has run the ship for the entire weekend so that I could craft :)

Anyway, I didn't have any wedding images in my stash and for some reason totally overlooked any digi ones that I did have (doh!!), so I called on my friend again to pinch another of her Lily of the Valley images. Now I'm going to make a confession here and will be probably be stoned for saying it.....but.......... I haven't bought any LOTV images (other than a sentiments set) and the ones I do own were gifts that are currently uninked, I didn't think I liked them as they were a bit too cutesy for me. However that's all changed now - I had heaps of fun colouring this pair in and do you know what? I actually really like my card! Something I've not been able to say for months!! I hope you like it too - any feedback on what I could've done to improve it will be gratefully received :)

The image has been coloured with Promarkers. I've used Stickles to highlight the bride's dress, Gypsophila and tips of the petals on the roses. The shoes and ribbons have been given a bit of shine and dimension with Glossy Accents. I've distressed the papers using my thumbnail (it gives it a softer finish than using scissors or a distressing tool) and then inked the edges with Tea Dye Distress Ink. The papers were then pricked with my pokey tool and hand stitched with embroidery thread.  Yes it took ages, yes I could've used my Sew Easy or the sewing machine, but the Sew Easy gives way too big stitches and I also didn't want a completely uniform look, so hand stitching it was!!

The doilies were cut using my Marianne Creatables (I got this die when it was first released before Christmas and am ashamed to say I've never used it, but now I have I love it and will be using it again). I used the circle part of the die to cut the message circles inside (please note I haven't made a mess of the left hand message, I'vejust  blurred out the hand written message to protect the couples privacy). I also used my Tim Holtz Alerations Ornate On The Edge Die which again has sat in my stash for ages unused.

The foliage has been cut from white card using the new Spellbinders Foliage Die and then coloured with Promarkers. The flowers were white Prima Eline's which I've coloured with Promarkers and then added faux pearls from the Viva Pearl Pen. The seam binding has again been coloured with Promarkers and the bow has been fastened with a pearl brad (I don't know why, but my photo makes the ribbon look as if it has strange texture, when infact it is just standard seam binding).

The Box Envelope was made using this tutorial on the lovely Paola's blog. I altered the measurements slightly to fit my project and decorated it to match the card. Unfortunately I didn't have anymore of the K & Co glitter paper to match the card, so I used another co-ordinating sheet from the same range.

I really hope that the happy couple like my card and that they have a long and happy marriage.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Claire xx


Tools
Sizzix Big Shot
Spellbinders Shapeabilities Foliage Die
Marianne Creatables Doily Die
Tim Holtz Orntate Die
Pokey Tool

Materials
Image - Wedding Couple from LOTV
Sentiment - Anita's
Ticket Sentiment - Caz @ A Load of Old Bloglocks
Papers - K&Co, Prima - Botanicals
Promarkers - Pear Green, Oatmeal, Soft Peach, Tea Green, Cool Aqua, Sun kissed Pink, Satin, Dusky Pink, Blush, Sandstone, Primrose, Burnt Sienna, Cool Grey 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Distress Ink - Tea Dye
Stickles - Star Dust
Glossy Accents
Viva Pearl Pen
Seam Binding - Crafty Ribbons
Embroidery Thread
Prima E-line flowers
Crystal stems

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Paper Sundaes - Stitching
Dream Valley Challenges - Ribbons
Craft Your Days Away - Vintage
Card & Scrap - Punches/Dies
LOTV - Celebrate 
I ♥ ProMarkers - Flowers
Deep Ocean Challenge - Flowers
Craft Your Passion - Anything goes 

Spring Shaker Card Using Tim Holtz Sizzix Branch Tree Die

Today's post is going to be short 'n' sweet as I'm really pushed for time! A friend who runs a craft store asked me to create a sample card using the Tim Holtz Sizzix Branch Die. At first I was completely uninspired and could only see a Halloween related project, which in March is hardly appropriate! So I went away had a little think and came up with this card.

I covered a card base with Basic Greys Lemonade Paper. The shaker frame has been cut using my nesties, I've then filled it with Soft Magic. The tree has been cut from white cardstock and coloured with distress inks. I've added Soft Magic to the tree branches. The sentiment from Ladybug Crafts Ink has been stamped using Memento Ink.

I'm going to try and make a few more cards with this Tree Branch Die all with a different theme, so watch this space!

Thanks for stopping by today.

Claire x

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
By the Cute & Girly - Springtime
Sir Stampalot - Spring is in the air
Everybody Art - Spring
Incy Wincy Designs - Spring
Papercutz - Spring

I'm Nuts About You Valentines Card

It's my turn to post over on the Delicious Doodles Blog , so I thought I'd better have a card to show everyone. My mojo's been a bit weird this week and hasn't allowed me to settle at any one project, so I have about fifteen unfinished projects on the go most of which need to be completed by the weekend! Anyway, I started this card intending to go in one direction, but it ended up going in a totally different one!

I've used the squirrel image from the Delicious Doodles Shop and have simply coloured it with Promarkers, cut it out and added some glossy accents to her nose, eyes and the acorn. I've cut some Sizzix Tattered Leaves, coloured them with Distress Inks and then given them a blast of Iridescent Gold Glimmer Mist. I've then mounted the whole lot onto a piece of Bazzil cardstock.

The sentiment has been generated on the computer using Happy Sans font from dafont. I cut a piece of the wood effect paper from my pad of matters using oval nesties and then used the masking technique to get the font where I wanted it. I doodled on the tree rings using a fine liner. The edges have been distressed and then rubbed over with Distress Inks. I've finished the card off with some gorgeous little wooden primitive hearts.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Bunny Zoe's - Love is in the air
Papertake Weekly - Have a heart
Ladybug Crafts Ink TLT - Love is in the air
Simon Says Stamp - Love is in the air
Passion for Promarkers - Let there be love
A Spoonful of Sugar - Lets see some love
Crafty Cardmakers - Hearts
Incy Wincy - Love
Creative Cowgirls Challenge - Love is in the air
Polka Doodles - With hearts

Delicious Doodles Challenge # Get Well/ Cheer 'Em Up Card

Morning folks, it's time for a new challenge over at Delicious Doodles and this week we want you to make a get well /cheer 'em up card. The lucky winner will receive 5 digital images of their choice from the Delicious Doodles shop. Don't forget, ANY images are acceptable, it doesn't have to be a Delicious Doodles one, but if you do happen to use one of our images, then you get TWO entries into the draw! Good luck and we'll look forward to seeing your creations.

Here's the card I made for your inspiration, I hope you like it!

The card base was die cut from white card using my new Sizzix Bird House Die.  I've covered the base with some wood effect papers from my Pad of Matters and then scored the plank effect with a Marth Stewart Scoreboard. To enhance the grooves I've rubbed Walnut Stain Distress Ink into them with a cotton bud. The images are Little Birdy and Bee & Flower from Delicious Doodles. They've been coloured with Promarkers and decoupaged. I've added Glossy Accents to the bird's beak and the centre of the flower. The bee's wings have been coated with Stardust Stickles. The sentiment is handwritten.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
The Creative Cottage - Shaped cards 
I ♥ ProMarkers - KISS
Design Dollies - Freehand something 
Top Tip Tuesday - Sentimental
Stamps R Us - Shaped card
Aly's Sunday Challenge - Things with wings
The Crafty Pad - Something new
One Stitch at a Time - New
Quirky Crafts - In the spring garden
Craft Your Days Away - Anything goes
Paper Romance - Shaped card

Sweet Pea Stampers Challenge - It's All White!!!

Welcome to the first Sweet Pea Stampers challenge of 2011. This time we want you to make a card or a project using all white with the exception of the image where you can use colours of your choice. As always we have a fantastic prize, this time its three sheets of decoupage from The Crafty Purple Frog. I really hope that you will join us and look forward to seeing your creations. Also, don't forget to check out the fantastic blog candy currently on offer.

When I first saw this challenge I kind of panicked! Not that I'm afraid of white space, far from it I love it, but Sweet Pea stamps and white space, post Christmas??? I don't think so!! However, I've had to eat my words and say that once I'd got over the initial shock of the challenge and started playing with ideas, that Sweet Pea stamps and lots of white is a fabulous combination! Don't believe me? Checkout what the other DT girls have done for this challenge - their projects are totally amazing!

I've used ching-chou kuik's Fairy of the Night for this card. The image has been stamped and heat embossed and then re-stamped, coloured with Promarkers, cut out and mounted onto the heat embossed image. I've then added plenty of sparkle with Stardust and Tumbled Glass Stickles.

The white cardstock has been embossed with my new Sizzix Texture Fades Burlap/Swirls  and Textured Impressions Winter embossing folders and the edges have been distressed with the Tim Holtz Distressing Tool. The flowers have been cut from the Sizzix Tattered Florals Die and then coated with glass particles (thanks to the lovely Kate of Downright Crafty for pointing me in the direction of this fab product) and secured with pearl brads from Kars.

Thanks for stopping by.


Claire x

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Saturday Challenge - Tons of texture
Digital Tuesday - All white
Top Tip Tuesday - Anything goes
Hodge Podge Shop - White on White
Meljens Designs - Square or Round card 
The Stampman - Distress

New Home Card

My lovely friend moved house this week, so I made her this card. I hope she likes it!

I've used the Sizzix Birdcage Die, Little Claire's Fern Die and Nellie Snellen Floral Punch. The birdcage has been cut from a gold/brown glitter flecked paper. The DP's papers are from K&Co and the pearls were made using a Viva Pearl Paper Pen. I've added a bit of faux stitching to pull it all together.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Bunny Zoes - Sparkle & Shine
Craft Your Days Away - Punch it out
I Did It Creations - Anything goes
The Crafty Pad - Anything goes
Crafts and Me - Anything goes
Simon Says Stamp - Anything goes