Sir Stampalot May Challenge - Butterflies & Blossoms

Happy May Day to you! Today sees the start of the second monthly Sir Stampalot Challenge. Firstly I would like to thank you all for some a wonderful response to our first challenge and to congratulations the winners.

The theme for May is BUTTERFLIES AND BLOSSOMS and you are going to be blown away by yet another fabulous prize dontated by Andy and Janice the owners of Sir Stampalot.

Look at that, the book has been signed by the King of Grunge himself, Tim Holtz!

Go and check out the challenge to see what you need to do to be in with a chance of winning this wonderful stash. Please don't forget to check out the rules to make sure your entry is eligible.

Here is my DT card for May along with a box to put it in.

Here's what I used to make my card:-

Marianne Designs Butterfly 3 - to cut out the large butterfly
Crafts Too "Daisies" embossing folder
5 petal flower punches large and medium
Woodware daisy punch
Martha Stewart butterfly trio punch
Darice flower beads
Brenda Pinnick Deisgn Papers
Silver thread, gem and pearls

I do hope you get the chance to join us this month.

Hugs, Clare xx

Thank you

Thank you ladies for your lovely comments on my last post, you have really boosted my confidence and stopped me worrying about embellishments.

Thank you also for your help regarding Distress Inks. I've decided to buy six for now:- Bundled Sage, Rusty Hinge, Spun Sugar, Tumbled Glass, Victorian Velvet and Wild Honey.

Poor postie is going to get stalked again until they arrive!!

Enjoy your day.

Hugs, Clare xx

Elzybells flowers and help please

Good afternoon,

Here's another simple card. I would love to add loads of embellishments as I really admire the beautifully embellished cards that I see in blogland, but it just isn't me and doesn't come naturally.

The sweet images I have used are from Elzybells and the fab sentiment is from Cuddly Buddly.

I am entering this into:-

Lili of the Valley Challenge - Here comes Summer

Allsorts Challenge - photo inspiration (the photo shows brightly coloured butterflies flying around and makes me think of summer with all the various insects flying around the flowers)

Our Creative Corner - Blossoms

That's my card, now I would love your help please. My question is, do I need the new Tim Holtz distress inks? I just can't make up my mind. Are they such wonderful colours that I would never regret buying them, or can I make do perfectly well with the original colours that I already have. If you have them, which ones are your favourite? I would love to know what you think.

Thank you for visiting my blog today and for any comment you may leave, I really appreciate all your comments and love to read them.

Hugs, Clare xx

Straightforward male card

Good afternoon.

I've been playing with some new(ish) stamps from Crafty Individuals. I always struggle with cards for men and I thought this would be nice for one of my nature loving relatives.

Using some lovely glossy card from Joanna Sheen I stamped the Crafty Individuals plant stamps (CI-207) around the edge using Momento Tuxedo Black ink. I then stippled on some Distress Inks "Shabby Shutters" and "Brushed Corderoy" using an ink duster. I added Diamond Black stickles to some of the images and then stamped the Happy Birthday sentiment from the Inkadinkado Nostalgia clear stamp set. I mounted the card onto Stampin Up! black cardstock.

It's pretty plain, but I like it. I hope you do to.

I am entering this into the current Cards for Men challenge which is "Monochrome".

Thank you for visiting my blog today.

Hugs and best wishes.

Clare xx

Shoe Fairy

Good morning,

It's another wonderfully sunny day here. I just love all this sunshine!

Here is another sample card I have made in my capacity as a Cuddly Buddly Fabulously Crafty Friend. I have used the new Shoe Fairy digi image, isn't she a cutie?

I am entering this into:-

Simon Says Challenge - Things with Wings

Charisma Cardz - Monochromatic Cards

Have a lovely day!

Clare xx

Little High Flyer

Good afternoon.

Are you still enjoying sunny weather? It is gorgeous again here.

I have made another sample card using one of Kim MacFarlane's gorgeous new release Cuddly Buddly digi images.

This cute fella is called "Little High Flyer". The fabulous are papers are Cuddly Buddly "A Patchwork of Papers".

I am entering this into:-

Just Cute Bears - One for the Boys

I must shut my craftroom door now and get on with some ironing.

Thank you for visiting, enjoy your day.

Hugs, Clare xx

Cake Fairy digi image

Good evening to you.

I hope you are enjoying your weekend. The weather here has been wonderful and I have enjoyed spending time in the garden.

Here is another Cuddly Buddly sample card I have made using the "Cake Fairy" digi image from the Fun Fairy Family range.

I am entering this into:-

Allsorts Challenge - "In Stitches"
Cupcake Craft Challenge - "Childhood Memories" when I was little I truly believed that fairies lived at the bottom of my Gran and Grampies garden.

Thank you for visiting.

Clare x

Pink flowers

Hello,

Here's a pink version of the card I made in the post below. I used a smaller base card and added some butterflies.

Thank you for visiting.

Hugs, Clare xx

Cupcake Craft Challenge

Right, I am about to throw my camera out of the window. Although it probably has more to do with my incompetance than the poor camara. Try as I might, I cannot get a good photograph of this card. I complain when there is no light and now there is plenty of sunlight I am complaining too!

I am entering this into Cupcake Craft Challenges where the current theme is "Make Your Own Flowers".

To make my flowers I used the two smallest dies from the nestabilities "Blossom" set. The smallest die made the small flowers and the second smallest made the bigger flower. I inked the edges of the flowers with memento ink "Summer Sky" and sprayed the completed flowers with a mixture of perfect pearl and water, using a mini mister. The small flowers sit on leaves made from a 5 petal flower punch and the larger leaves are made using a Martha Stewart Stamp and Punch leaf punch.

Thank you for taking a look at my card. I apologise for not visiting my blogging buddies as much as usual. There is lots going on at the moment, but I am hoping things will get back to normal soon.

Hugs, Clare xx

WOYWW

Good morning,

Since I have started participating in Julia's What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday, a very strange thing is happening - it always seems to be Wednesday!! It only seems five minutes since last week's WOYWW post.

My mojo has taken a runner at the moment so I thought I would leave it wherever it is for a while and give it time to come back of it's own accord. To fill time I decided I would try and make some paper roses - here is my first attempt. I'm always making paper flowers, but I've never tried these before.

I don't have any 6 petal flower punches so I have used stamps which I cut out, pre-cut flowers and blossom nestabilities. The yellowy flower on the left is made from grunge paper and cut with blossom nesties - this one is my favourite.

Well that's my desk, albeit close-up. I thought I would also share some more of my craft room today. If I look right from where I sit, this is what I see.

Look at those shelves bowing! The bag at the bottom right is for my scrap paper which I recycle. It's a bit of a mess isn't it?

Since last week, I have been getting to grips with my new sewing machine and I love it. It's so easy to use which is ideal for me.

I look forward to visiting your workdesk this Wednesday.

Hugs, Clare x

Lovely Awards

I am truly honoured to have been given some lovely awards. My apologies for not blogging them earlier, but I assure you they are very much appreciated.

Thank you Linda for this beautiful award. Linda is a wonderful lady and one of my earliest and longest blogging friends.

Thank you to Sally, my very talented and helpful teamie at the Sir Stampalot Challenge.

Last, but by no means least, thank you to my new blogging buddie Paula. Paula has a lot on her plate at the moment but always finds the time to offer support and help to her blogging buddies.

I started my blog just over a year ago and I am so glad I did. I have met so many amazing friends over the year. The craft blog community is such a wonderful, friendly, kind and generous place to be.

Hugs, Clare x

Another collage card

Good evening.

I like these holidays! While OH is at home playing with our son, I can nip off to my craft room throughout the day.

Here is another collage card I have made using Crafty Individuals, Inkadinkado and Elusive Images stamps.

My apologies for yet another bad photograph.

This time I used basic white cardstock and stamped on various Crafty Individuals and Inkadinkado stamps to create the background using Memento Rich Cocoa. I then brayered the card using more memento inks: Potters Clay, Sweet Plum and Grape Jelly. I have the dew drop memento inks so to be able to use them with a brayer I squidge them onto a craft mat (one of those brown heatproof ones) and then roll the brayer over them, I brayer the colours one at a time to make sure I don't muddy them too much. The butterfly is from Elusive Images, I stamped this in Memento Rich Cocoa and sponged on Memento Lilac Posies, Sweet Plum and Grape Jelly. I then lightly dusted the butterly with Perfect Pearl in "Perfect Pearl" and embossed wtih UTEE (ultra thick embossing powder), once the UTEE was cold I added another coat of Perfect Pearl and a second layer of UTEE. This gives a lovely thick gloss and pearl lustre to the butterfly but, of course, this doesn't show in the photograph. I then added some silver wire to the butterfly before attaching it to the stamped background with Pinflair gel glue.

I layered the stamped card onto Stampin Up!" brown cardstock and layered this onto a base card made from linen effect white card. The corners were cut with a die from the Cuttlebug Vintage Corners set, from purple Core-dinations Gemstone cardstock. The little flourishes are bits that were left over from cutting the die.

I hope you have all had a great holiday and haven't eaten too much chocolate!

Hugs, Clare xx

Plain and simple

Good afternoon.

I hope you are enjoying your holiday whatever you are doing.

This card is just for fun. I've seen lots of collage stamps and I love them, however I think if I bought them I would get bored of the same scene so I thought I would have a go at making my own, that way each one I make will be different. I've used seven individual stamps to create this image - all from Crafty Individuals.

This is only a practice and there are a lot of things I would do differently next time, but crafting for me is all about fun and I certainly enjoyed playing with my stamps to make this.

It really isn't as washed out as this in real life, but the light is very poor today and I couldn't be bothered to get out the artificial lights - how lazy am I?!!

To make this card, firstly I masked off a piece of shiny white cardstock (this is from Joanna Sheen in the Clarity Stamps section). Using brown Memento ink I stamped the crackle background (Crafty Individuals CI-116), I then stamped various images in black Memento ink (Crafty Indivduals CI-122 and CI-207). I sponged Tim Holtz Distress Inks onto the card - Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint, Antique Linen and Frayed Burlap then I coloured the grasses and butterflies with marker pens. I mounted the shiny card onto Stampin Up! brown cardstock and layered it onto a cardbase made from linen effect cream card which was a lovely present from my Auntie-in-law.

Thank you for visiting my blog and for your lovely comments which I appreciate so much.

Hugs, Clare xx

Poppies

Good morning.

My OH has taken my son to the local soft play, so I have had spent some time in my craft room already this morning.

I decided to make a card for a couple of today's challenges:-

Allsorts Challenge - No DP
Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - How does your Garden Grow?

To make this card I first stamped the harlequin background from Crafty Indivduals onto a piece of ivory cardstock, using Stampin Up! "So Saffron" ink, I then stamped Joanna Sheen Wildflower "Poppies" onto the background using Memento "Tuxedo Black" ink. I coloured the flowers using Copic Ciaos before heat embossing them, using a Versamark pen and clear embossing powder, to make them shine. I layered onto Stampin Up! "So Saffron" cardstock and cut a border with a Martha Stewart border punch "Doily Lace". The sentiment is from Papertray Ink "Mega Mixed Messages" and I have cut it out using a die from Spellbinders Labels Trio, and threaded through some SU ribbon. Finally I have pierced the corners of the card.

Thank you for dropping by my blog, I appreciate your visit.

Happy Easter to you all.

Hugs, Clare xx

Sir Stampalot Challenge No. 1

Woo, hoo!! Today marks the start of the new Sir Stampalot Challenge. The challenge will be set on the first of every month and there will be some wonderful prizes sponsored by Sir Stampalot, along with a Top 3 selection.

The theme for the first challenge is FANTASY.

It is entirely up to you what you create and how you interpret the theme and we are so looking forward to visiting you all and seeing your wonderful creations.

Sir Stampalot have been so generous with the winners prize.........pinch yourself first because the prize is:

A Cricut Personal Electronic Cutter
PLUS a Pooh Font Cartridge

How awesome is that and if the opportunity to win that doesn't get your creative juices flowing, then I don't know what will. Plus we will also be selecting our Top 3 who will be able to display our special logo. The talented and very excited Design Team have come up with some awesome projects so please do go and visit them and see how they have been created and show your appreciation for all their hard work.

I love this theme and couldn't help but make two cards.

My thoughts behind this card were finding fairies at the bottom of the card and sneaking up to take a photograph of them, they are playing in the mist (created with Perfect Pearls "Perfect Pearl") and the splodges represent the moisture droplets on the camera lens. I got quite near to the effect I wanted but it would have been nice to add some foliage around the edges but I didn't have any suitable stamps. Needless to say they are now on my wishlist!

My second card started out from a piece of scrap card I had been playing around with, I had inked it with Memento and Distress inks and stamped it using Inkadinkadoo jewel flourish stamps with Brilliance ink. The scrap was too pretty to throw away so I built up the card from it. The gorgeous image is available here, I have coloured her with Copics and the flowers are made using the Spellbinders Flower Creations 1 die. The cardstock looks brown but it is in fact gold.

I hope you will join us in our very first challenge and look forward to seeing your creation(s) if you do.

Hugs, Clare xx

WOYWW

Good afternoon WOYWW'ers.

Visit Julia's blog, to meet the lady behind WOYWW and to visit more Workdesks.

I am a very lucky girl. My mum has just given me this fantastic Brother SuperGalaxie Embroidery Sewing machine (I've told her I am just looking after it until she needs it back). I am a bit too scared to use it! It comes with loads of add on bits and a very complicated looking instruction book, along with hundreds of reels of beautiful threads. I know it isn't really complicated, I've used it before, but that was before I had "baby brains".

I hope to visit your workspace but please accept my apologies in advance if I don't make it as things around here are pretty hectic.

Happy WOYWW to you all.

Clare xx

Simon Says "It's So Distressing"

Good afternoon.

This week the challenge at Simon Says is "So Distressing". They would also like you to use Tim Holtz products if you have them.

Well I had to make a tag didn't I? I shall use this as a bookmark.

The stamps I used are from the Tim Holtz Visual Artistry collection - the set I used is called "French Market". I stamped the Eiffel Tower with Versamark and heat embossed with white powder. The other images are stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.

I sponged on Tim Holtz Distress Inks "Shabby Shutters" and "Fired Brick" which I then rubbed over with Perfect Pearl (Heirloom Gold) before lightly spritzing the whole tag with water using a Mini Mister.

I know the white is a bit stark, initially I wanted the contrast but when it was finished I wasn't so sure.

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Clare x

Butterfly garden

Good morning,

Having spotted this shape card in blogland I wanted to make one straightaway.

The stamps I have used are from Inkadinkao (Garden Delights Clear set) and the sentiment is from Papertray Ink (Mega Mixed Messages). I have used Brilliance inks which have a lovely shimmer.

It doesn't show, but I have painted stickles glitter glue onto the butterfly, Burgundy on the coloured parts and Diamond on the clear bits. I have also dry embossed the butterfly from the back so that it is slightly raised on the front of the card.

Thank you for visiting and I hope you have a lovely day.

Clare xx

Dragonflies and Lilies

Good afternoon,

Yipee, it's almost the weekend! I'm looking forward to spending some time in my craft room and, if the weather is good, doing some decorating.

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:-

Simon Says - Easter or Spring with some Glimmer

Cute Card Thursday - Dimension

Pollycraft Monday - Sparkly Things

The main stamp I have used for this card isfrom Creative Expressions (Oasis 231), the swirls are free from a magazine and the sentiment is from the Papertray Ink set "Mega Mixed Messages". I love this set and use it all the time, it was so worth the postage and customs fees!

The image is coloured with Prismacolor pencils using sansador and a paper stump. I stamped the image twice and cut out two additional dragonflies and one lily for layering. I have painted "Stardust" stickles onto the dragonfly wings to add some sparkle.

I hope you have a great weekend.

Hugs, Clare xx

Cracked Glass UTEE

My first attempt!

I said in a previous post that I wanted to try the cracked glass effect using UTEE (Ultra Thick Embossing Powder).

Here is the result. It is recommended that you pop your item into the freezer before cracking the UTEE, but I don't have a freezer so I just bent it back and forth until it cracked.

This picture doesn't show up all the glimmer on the tag, and I'm afraid I couldn't avoid the glare either.

Here are the ingredients:-
Paper Artsy stamps (free with Craft Stamper subscription), stamped with "Rich Cocoa" Memento ink.
Tim Holtz distress inks "Antique Linen", "Walnut Stain" and "Vintage Photo", applied with an ink dauber and an ink duster (ie shaving brush).
The bird was dusted with Perfect Pearl "Heirloom Gold" and the tag was sprayed with Crafty Notions Shake and Spray "Antique Gold" (I overdid it with the spray which has made it darker than I wanted, but you wouldn't have know that if I hadn't told you would you?).
The UTEE was applied to the bird stamp, three times, before I cracked it. I attached the bird to the tag with an eyelet.

This isn't what I would call a finished product, it's definitely the result of practicing and playing, but I hope you don't mind me sharing it with you.

Thank you for visiting.

Hugs, Clare xx