Copy Cat? Or Inspired By?

Morning. It's time for another challenge over at Stampotique and this time we want to see you CASE a member of the DT's work. Now this is a challenge that I'm not altogether comfortable with as whilst I think it's OK to take inspiration from another person I don't think it's OK to copy their work in it's entirety especially when no credit is given to original artist. In addition when someone has created something brilliant, that little voice of self doubt creeps in and tells me that I'll never make anything as good/beautiful and as a result kills my mojo. Anyhow, as the challenge had been set I thought I'd play along, so I had a good look round my fellow team mates blogs and selected my victim!!!

I decided that I CASE my uber talented teamy Samantha Read and make one her fantastic glass cubes. I knew that it was going to be a challenge to make one of these that looked half presentable, but man I didn't think I'd fall at the first hurdle!! Oh and you'll have to excuse the picture quality on this post as well, it was an absolute nightmare to photograph!

Firstly, my Memory Glass was only 1 1/2" but I decided I could live with that, but then I spotted that Sam had used Super Glue :O - help........!!!! I'm such a messy worker that the words Super Glue struck terror into my heart. I've only used the stuff once and it almost ended in a trip to A&E with the kitchen worktop in tow!!! So with that in mind I was all but ready to go and CASE someone else! However, you know me I won't be defeated, so I slept on it and thought I'd try a couple of other things in place of the Super Glue.

I started off by trying UTEE which was OK but didn't allow me enough time line up the glass fully. Then I moved onto Memory Tape - this was reasonably successful but just looked a little cumbersome and kind of swamped my cube. So my last resort was Pinflair Glue - omg I love this stuff! It worked a treat!

I then stamped Snowman, Oh...Tree and Picket Fence onto white shrink plastic, coloured with pencils and then once shrunk glued them into position. I added some "faux snow" that I got in the Pound Store and then sealed my cube.

Sam used molten embossing powder to create the "faux soldered" effect on her cube and mentioned that her's had fallen to pieces a couple of times whilst dipping - eeekkk - molten UTEE burns just do not do it for me!!! I contemplated leaving the glass joints as they were, but then noticed that I had a tiny gap in the top right corner. So, I thought I'd try my usual swipe with Versamark and embossing powder technique. So glad I did as it worked just fine and I felt like I had a little more control over where the embossing powder went. Also, where odd specks of the powder stuck to the glass it gave a frosty effect (this can be scraped off if you don't like that effect).

To finish I added a shrink plastic snowflake and some glass pearls. I then looked at it and thought that it needed something else, so I added some Pinflair Glue Icicles (idea for these nicked from here). I've tried to show you how gorgeous they look in the above picture, but seem to have failed miserably :(

So what do you think of my spin on Sam's cube, is it a copy cat one or simply inspired by her?

Thanks for stopping by today.

Claire x

I'd like to enter this project into the following challenges:
Through The Craft Room Door - Anything goes
Make It Monday - Anything goes
Stamptacular Sunday - No rules
Inspire Me Friday - Anything goes
Anything but a card - Anything but a card

Love Birds!!

Morning. It's time for another challenge over at Polka Doodles and this week we want to see "things with wings". Don't forget you don't need to use a Polka Doodles product, but we'd love it if you did!

This is a commissioned card for a lad that I work with. He wanted a card for his girlfriend to mark the six months that they'd been together. The stipulation was to include a photograph of them, the date they met, a bird, no flowers and no pink!!! So this it what I came up with.....

The papers are from the Sugarplum Daisy CD and the images are from the Candy Doodles Collectors Edition. I made a pocket for the tag which carries a photograph of the couple and I used the computer to generate the date they met text which has been printed onto the ribbon. The die cut hearts are some that the lovely Angie from Bumbles Bees Craft Den sent me ages ago. The sentiment on the die cut heart is also computer generated.

Well that's it from me today. I hope you all have a lovely weekend.

Thanks for stopping by.

Claire x

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

Studio 12 CAS Kraft Card

Good morning. Just a quickie from me today as I've got to work today :(

It's my turn to post over at Studio 12 today, so I've made this really quick and easy card using Studio 12 Picknix Collection 1. If you haven't been over there before, please do take the time to visit as there is a different inspiration post every day.

This card literally took five minutes to make and I think I'm pretty pleased with the way it turned out.

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend. I should be back over the weekend with another project, but if I'm not I'll see you on Wednesday.

Thanks for stopping by.

Claire x

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
My Mum's Craft Shop - Kraft It
The Paper Shelter - CAS
Tanda Stamps - CAS
Flourishes - Use Kraft paper
Make It Monday - Anything goes
OSAAT - Anything goes

Vintage Butterfly Tag

Good morning! The sun's shining, the birds are singing and I'm obviously in the land of make believe! Seriously what has happened to Summer???? My boys (DH & Son) are off camping this weekend and the forecast is just appalling, so I'm expecting lots of wet, muddy smelly clothes!! Deep joy! Just hoping (rather selfishly), that they don't make an early return as I have loads of crafting planned!

Now this is a strange post for me cos it's gonna be my last one ever for Delicious Doodles :( as I've decided to step down from the DT after almost two years. I'm really sad to be going as not only do I love working with Teri's amazing images, but the whole team are fantastic to work with too! Still, I'm hoping that I'll manage to find the time to play along with their challenges and create the odd project using her images too. Before I move onto this weeks challenge, I'd just like to say thanks to Teri for being an amazing boss lady and to the rest of the team for their friendship and on occasions help and advice - I will miss you all. x

So, enough of my rabbiting, let's move onto this weeks challenge over at Delicious Doodles which is SUMMER. Now, I've had to trawl the memory banks for this one, but seem to have a vague recollection that there should be loads of butterflies fluttering around in my garden at this time of year, so you guessed it I've used the gorgeous Butterfly image to create my first ever tag.

I used all scraps to make this tag, so it's definitely going on my list of must do's in the future. I started off by hand cutting the tag and covering it with a scrap of paper from the Studio 12 All Sewn Up Kit. The tag was then over stamped with Versafine Vintage Sepia Ink using a Script Stamp from Kaisercraft. Next, I distressed the edges and lightly crumpled the tag before inking with Walnut Stain and Victorian Velvet Distress Ink and adding some faux stitching. The Butterfly image has been printed out in two different sizes and coloured with Flexmarkers. The wings have been glittered using Stickles Star Dust and I've added Glossy Accents to the body to give dimension before mounting onto the tag using silicone glue. The fern leaves have been cut using a Little Claire's Die and the flowers were in my stash, but I've crumpled them up, added some DI and then popped a button on to finish.

I hope you all have lovely weekend - will be keeping my fingers crossed for those of you in the UK that the weather forecasters have got it wrong and that we will have glorious sunshine!!!

Thanks for stopping by.

Claire xxx

I'd like to enter this tag into the following challenges:
Whimsy Inspiration - Anything Goes
Creatalicious Chalenges - Anything goes
The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop - Tags
Papertake Weekly - Anything goes
Stamp N Plus - Anything goes
The Crafty Bloggers Network - Anything goes
Make it Monday - Anything goes
Happy Daze - Summer Holidays (inks)

Altered Body Butter Tub & Some Studio 12 Candy

Good morning. I've got an altered project to show you today using an empty body butter container, some paint and the Studio 12 Picknix Collection 1 CD. I hope you like it! Oh and I whilst I'm here, don't forget to hop on over to the Studio 12 blog as I believe there may well be candy ;D Also, a quick heads up for those of you who asked me to let you know when Studio 12/ Polka Doodles are appearing on Create & Craft - well it's Tuesday 3/7 at 8am and 2pm.

Anyway, this supposed to be a short post, so onto my container......

I started out by using the freezer paper technique to print out the Polka Dot Rose Paper from the Welcome Home Kit onto some fabric. I then used the fabric to create the pin cushion lid. The tub was painted with Gesso, crackle medium and acrylic paints. I printed of several elements from the All Sewn Up collection onto tissue paper and then decoupaged them onto the tub. To finish I added a pearl bead string from my stash.

I'm going to use this pot for my fancy hat pins that were given to me by the lovely Clare and the mini buttons that I seem to have an increasing collection of!

That's it for me today. I hope you all have a fab Sunday (hopefully I'm en-route to The Craft Barn if the scheduling widget has worked).

Thanks for stopping by

Claire x

I'd like to enter this tub into the following challenges:
Inspire Me Fridays - Anything goes
Creative Belli - Anything but a card
Whimsy Stamps Challenge - Anything but square
Love To Create - Anything goes
Simon Says Stamp & Show - Depths of Distress

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