Grunge at The Crafting Musketeers

Hello there, yes I know it's unusual for me to be posting on a Thursday but I am trying to blog more and not just on a Sunday, I do make more than one project a week and this week I am GDT for the Crafting Musketeers with the theme of Grunge. When I was told what the theme was going to be I thought Oh my word, what on earth am I going to do, I don't usually do this kind of crafting so to say it's outside my comfort zone is an understatement.  Well I'd bought some sets of stamps, embossing folders and dies from C&C, they are made by Couture Creations and I think they are a great idea especially when you haven't got a clue what to do.

This card is made by using the stamps onto a patterned paper, this one has a script print on it and as the stamp has script incorporated I thought it would go pretty well, I used Pumice Stone distress ink around the edges and also the stamping on the back piece is done with the same ink but the stamp I used comes from Paper Artsy as does the sentiment.
I used the embossing folder from the set and then stamped and die cut the butterflies all of which I also added distress ink to, the ribbon was white but I coloured it with the same ink and the scrunched flower was on the back of the paper used for the main image, I cut it out coloured it with the ink and screwed it up, I added a gem to the centre but didn't have the right colour so I used a red one covered with black alcohol ink making it a browny colour, the heart is coloured with Treasure gold wax. Finally I embossed some black mirror card and sanded over the top to reveal the core.

I've really enjoyed playing and finally making something just that bit different, just hope the person who gets it likes it too.

I hope you can join in with this challenge and it is being sponsored by a company called Visible Image so you could win a little something too.

CD Sunday - We are Sailing

Hiya everyone, it seems ages since I posted but I have been busy like everyone else with Christmas and work.  It's time for another challenge over at CD Sunday and this week it's the turn of Sue T to choose her theme which this week it is We are Sailing.

It was good to get back to something other than Christmas cards but that is mostly my own fault as I left things very late again so ended up rushing things, next year will have to be different or I'll be buying cards not making them.

Anyway onto this week and my card is made from the Thomas Kinkade cd from Joanna Sheen, this is a go to cd for me especially when it's cards for the men, I have folded an A4 card in half length ways to make a large DL, I printed a sky background and covered the whole of the card with it, I tried to find one with a similar colour to the sky in the topper. The corners are cut from a favourite die from Joy which I coloured with some Treasure Gold wax, to make sure the matts matched I used the same wax on the edges. The sentiments are stamped and then I added a little of the metallic pan pastels to them.

I know we are still out and about visiting family or doing the sales but I do hope you find time to join us for our latest challenge.
I'll be back soon with another creation and another challenge so come back soon. xx

A Prima Doll

I'm back again and it's only 10.30am, I had a bit of a tidy up yesterday as there was so much stuff on my desk I didn't have room to craft, while I was busy sorting I came across some small bits of paper that came from a Crafty Individuals pad, these were quite small and I was going to bin them when I realised that I had a Prima Doll stamp as yet unused and I bought it at Port Sunlight so she has been with me long enough. I decided that I could use my snippets of paper to do a bit of paper piecing so this morning I have had a little play.
I painted a tag with some Paper Artsy Guacamole coloured paint and then used some texture gel through a stencil, if I had used my brain I could have done it the other way around and then wouldn't have had to repaint over the design. Once it was repainted I used a small amount of Moon Light paint to add a bit of contrast, I wanted to use some stamps so went on the hunt for something suitable and found a corner flourish and a few other things so stamped them randomly.  I then used some Treasure Gold to highlight the pattern, this time I used Aquamarine and Olive Bronze, I also found some buttons and charms which got the Treasure Gold treatment and this is the result.

When I coloured her in I decided to give her lilac/purple tones for her hair as I thought this went with the colours in the bits of paper.  I am quite pleased with her as this is something I don't do a lot of but will have to keep practising as I can only get better.

I'm entering this by the skin of my teeth into the Pixie's Crafty Workshop challenge which is to use snippets.

CD Sunday challenge - Home Sweet Home

Hello everyone, it's Sunday!  That means two things in this house, one we don't have to work and two it's a new challenge over at CD Sunday. This week Beryl has chosen her topic and it's Home Sweet Home, lots of things for this one and as I don't need any new home cards I decided to go with a Christmas card, can't believe how far behind I am and need to push myself to get them done.

This is done with the fabulous Thomas Kinkade cd from Joanna Sheen, now I don't know about you but looking at this kind of picture is how I imagine Christmas to be in a perfect world and I'd love to live somewhere like that so it would be Home Sweet Home. I used a dark blue mirror card and then put a piece of 160gsm paper through the Grand Caliber  in a Crafter's Companion folder it's called Picnic Plaid

I printed the image onto 200gsm matte photo paper and this particular one printed over two pages, again this was put on a blue mirror matte, there is a lot of glitter but it is very fine and doesn't really show in the picture, this time I used a Cosmic Shimmer one called Glitter Jewels which I bought from the local garden centre.
The bow is a Tattered Lace die which I bought from C&C when they had free postage on, it cuts really well and I think it's really pretty so it will be making an appearance quite a lot on different projects. Finally the sentiment came from a set of stamps that came free with a magazine, it's embossed with a Sprinkle N Sparkle powder called Blueberry which I bought from Joanna Sheen but she no longer sells this brand. Finally I've added a few gems in the corner and one on the bow.

I'm entering this into the following challenges;
1. Simply Create Too - Snow or All White
2. Crafty Hands - Sparkle and bling
3. Jelly Park Challenges - Christmas
4. Totally Paper Crafts - Ho Ho Holidays
5. QKR Stampede - It's starting to look a lot like Christmas
6 4 Craft Chicks - Christmas
7 Joanna Sheen - Make it sparkle

CD Sunday - F is For....... with Caz

Good morning all, I really don't know what has happened to last week it's flown by so fast. I haven't been around for much of the week as apart from work I have spent most of my time sleeping! It's very unusual for me as I'm not a great sleeper but I've been in bed before ten most days and have slept really well.

Now onto the challenge over at CD Sunday, Caz has chosen F is For.... and I couldn't think what to do that hadn't been done by another member of the team until I came across this image from Angelica and Friends cd from Crafters Companion so my choice is First.

The image is printed onto my favourite matte photo paper and matted onto mirror card from Creata, now if you are thinking of using this particular mirror card I have to warn you that it is very difficult to stick down, I have used double sided tape and Collal All Purpose and although it seems to stick it peels away once it's dry so I have had to resort to Pinflair or the Collal Tacky Glue which as we know will stick anything. Now I'm not sure if it's the combination of photo paper and this particular mirror card but I'll try with different paper or card and let you know.

I hope you can join us again this week as always we love to visit and see what you've all been up to. x

Simply Square

Good morning and it's Sunday again so that means another challenge over on CD Sunday which this week is Simply Square as chosen by me, I think I was looking for an easy week,lol.

My card is made from a little used cd from Creative Crafting World  called A Touch of Elegance which you can find here if you're interested, it's full of elegant ladies.

As we are on the run up to Christmas I am trying to get my cards done and to be honest not getting too far with them so I decided to go with a Christmas theme this week  and although this is a simple card I am quite pleased with it as it is fairly flat so will be easy tp post.

I have printed the background and topper onto matte photo paper which I think gives a really vibrant look, I have used a dark green mirror card for the mats and for once was very frugal and cut the middle out of the base one for the topper. The swirly die is from Joanna Sheen and the flower is from the Heartfelt Creations range it's called Sunkissed Fleur. I was searching for a black gem of the right size and couldn't find one so I popped a bit of Pinflair glue on and covered it with black glitter, I haven't added a sentiment because I don't feel it needs one so it could be a birthday card if I wanted it to be.

Come over and join us, I will have a little prize for the winner of the top three. xx

Pennant Parade - CD Sunday

It's time for a new challenge over at CD Sunday and this week it's Pennant Parade as chosen by Sue B, for my card I used the new Bebunni cd from Crafters Companion. I needed a couple of birthday cards so this cd arrived just at the right time, this one has gone off to my sister.
I printed it onto mat photo paper and the flowers are Heartfelt Creations from their Sunkissed Fleur range, the corners are from Joanna Sheen.

I hope you can come over and join us, we have some great cards for your inspiration.

A little fairy

Well I'm sitting in my craft room and the task for today is make some Christmas cards, I do this every year and end up driving myself daft in December because I don't have enough. So how many have I done you may ask and the answer is a great whole one! I had to tidy my desk and of course found a few things that had been pushed to one side to carry on with something else and I also found a brand new die that didn't get put away when it came, so I just had to use it.

This is a 6x6 card and the embossing is done with another new buy the Cascading Hearts embossing folder by Sue Wilson, I think this is lush and will get lots of use. At the same time I bought the folder I bought the die which I think looks a little like a fern, it's quite delicate and again will get lots of use.

I'm afraid I did cheat with the image as it isn't stamped but a preprinted one, this is cut out with a Spellbinders gold die as is the mat. I have added glitter to the fairy wings, bouquet and tiara but not sure it shows in the picture. The whole thing is finished off with a white bow and some gems.

I'm entering this into the following challenges:
Totally Papercrafts - Use Glitter
Jo's Scrap Shack- Things with Wings
Cas-ual Fridays - Embossing
Brown Sugar - Anything Goes

See you tomorrow! x

Ali-Craft Challenge White on White

Over on the Ali-Craft challenge blog this time it's White on White, so I've used some dies and embossing folders with Centura Pearl card.
The embossing folders used are from Crafters Companion andthe dies are from Spellbinders for the mats and Cheery Lynn for the butterflies.

CD Sunday - Stripey

Morning all, Sunday again so that means CD Sunday and a new challenge. This week it's Stripey, I guess it is a nice easy task this week.

This card is an 8x8 and is printed onto matt photo paper, I like the rich look printing onto this type of paper gives and with a cd with images as cute as this cards are just a doddle to do. This image is taken from the Megapage section and I've made it fit in with the card I had in mind to do, I like to decoupage my images and this was easy to cut out as there aren't any really fiddly bits, the sentiment is a LOTV stamp stamped with Perfect Medium and embossed with turquoise embossing powder.

Hope you can come over and join us this week, we love to see you.

I'm entering this into the Crafting Musketeers challenge which this week is Pretty Pastels, also The Crafter's Cafe which is Birthday Celebrations and Sunshine Mail which is Anything Goes

Altered box

I went to a workshop with Ali-Crafts yesterday and we did an altered box, there was so many things to play with that you could get carried away putting things on. I have never done one of these before but I will be doing some more as they are great fun to do and would make fab gifts.

The boxes were base painted then stamped with a wood effect stamp, we just went for it with all the embellishments and then painted over with a metallic paint and finished off with Treasure Gold wax.
This box has a drawer and we lined the draw with patterened paper which matches the paper I put onto the tag.

CD Sunday - Travels Abroad

This week over on CD Sunday Christine has chosen the topic of Travels Abroad, now as first I didn't have a clue but did think maybe a scrapbook page, decided you didn't want to be subjected to my ugly mush so went with a retirement card instead.

This card looks very simple and plain and yes it is but the embossed mat has been coloured with Treasure Gold wax, I used several colours to get the effect and it doesn't really show in the picture, it is a blend of five wax colours and took quite a while to get the effect I was looking for. I bought one pot at the Port Sunlight stamp show but very soon had to add to that and now I have five pots with still more to come at some point, I just love it.

I do hope you will join us support our guest Wynn who has produced another cracker this week.

Zentangle Owl

I've made this card for a swap, I bought the cd after seeing a card from a team mate on CD Sunday, I just love the owl and there is a seahorse that is very pretty too so watch out for him appearing here sometime soon.
The swap was one for a shaped card but not a square or rectangle so I used my Grand Nesties to cut out an oval card and now I've found my butterfly dies I am going to make use of them before they fly off again!

Oh and just incase you are interested the cd is from Peerless Designs and you can find it here 

I'm entering this into the Inkspirational challenge Anything Goes and the Sugar Creek Hollow challenge of Birds of a Feather

CD Sunday - Fox and Friends

Good morning everyone, it's very quiet and still this morning which is a blessing after the storm we had last night, I did enjoy watching it but am very glad I wasn't outside when it started as the heavens just opened.

Over on CD Sunday this week Sue T has chosen Fox and Friends and when I saw it I was a bit stumped as I don't have the new Polyanna Pickering cd and couldn't think of anything I could use but then I realised I have a few things with foxes included in them so I decided on one of my bargain cd's that Creative Crafting World were selling off, I think they were such a bargain because they had Cupcake Crafting on them and they probably wanted to get rid of them.

I chose this image and as I like checks and stripes decided to use the backing paper that was included with the image, I used one of my older dies to cut the doily and stamped the sentiment from one of the LOTV stamps, they are so useful.

I hope you can join us this week and I know you will like the things the team have done so do pop over and check the challenge out.

I am entering this into the Sister Act Challenge of Anything Goes and 4 Krafty Girlz Challenge.

Christening Card

I was asked for a christening card but it wasn't for a baby it was for a toddler so it was to be something different and somewhat fancy.  I was given a photo but the child was wearing bright yellow so would have been difficult to work with, I changed the picture to look like an old photo so it is slightly faded out at the edges and took it from there.

I cut the frame from the Spellbinders Opulent Ovals die set and used the Sunkissed Fleur range for the flowers, these were stamped and embossed then cut out with the matching dies.  The butterfly is one of a set of three from Cheery Lynn, this was coloured with the sorbet colour in the Flexmarker range as was the ribbon and the mat for the sentiment. I finished it off with some tine pearl hearts in the centre of the flowers.

I am going to enter this into the 365 Cards challenge which is vintage with a die cut, and the Delightful Challenges - Frame it.

CD Sunday - Butterfly

Good morning, hasn't it gone cold these last few days and if the forecast is anything to go by I need to get my thermals out. Perfect weather for staying in and crafting, which I have been doing but some of the things I can't show just yet.
This week over on CD Sunday we have a lovely theme of Butterfly, now Wendy chose this but is unable to join us as she is not to well so hope you feel better soon Wendy.

This is my card and it's from a Jems cd called Butterflies by Request, I made this with one of my team mates birthdays in mind, she is a bit batty about butterflies, aren't you Christine,lol.
Anyway I'm pleased to say she likes it and that is all that matters, it is printed onto matte photo paper and I think the dies are worth the effort to get them to cut, the background paper is also embosed but it doesn't show on here. The three panels are one design and I cut them out and the middle one is raised a little higher than the others.

I hope you will come and join us, the teams projects this week are stunning and you don't want to miss them.

I'm entering this into the Ooh La La challenge this week which is things with wings

CD Sunday - To The Moon and Back

Good morning all, it's Sunday again and I'm sure someone is stealing my days as it doesn't seem like a week since the last challenge does it.
Anyway over on CD Sunday we have a sponsor and she has been quite generous to us, she has given us a cd which is At the Bottom of the Garden, a pack of plain bags to decorate and a pack of white card, so you really sholud join in and be in with a chance of winning. Go over to the web site of Creative Crafting World and have a look they have some lovely things that you don't see everywhere. Lynda sent the team some files over and we have all made something so if you go and look you will see it's true that if you give a lot of people the same items they will all make something different.

I decided to do a box, all the things are there and it prints out on two sheets, I put the box together and did the decoupage but thought it looked a bit plain so did a lacy border with a Martha Stewart punch to go around the lid and added a bit of yellow ribbon, there are alphabet tiles and when I have decided who it is for I can add a name down the left hand side.

I do hope you can join us and the prize isn't someone's choice it's a draw so everyone has a chance.
Jenny x

CD Sunday - Snow People

Good morning, and it is a good morning here in Wigan, it's cloudy but very still and warm.
Over on CD Sunday this week we are thinking about Christmas, no please don't groan we all have to do some Christmas cards and yes I know some of you have been doing yours since June and are very organised but for people like me and I do hope some of you are, we still have plenty to do.

Beryl has chosen the theme of Snow People and there are lots of cd's out there with something suitable even if you don't own a Christmas cd there are lots of things on some of the compilation ones.
For my card I chose Christmas in Mulberry Wood from the Crafters Companion range, the image is so cute and I thought this is perfect for a little girl so I added pale pink to mat and layer, the little shiny stars are some I found in a box of embellishments which someone gave me so don't even know where they are from or who makes them but you have to have a bit of bling at Christmas. The sentiment is stamped with a LOTV sentiment stamp, I have a couple of these sets and find them so useful.I have added a doily and a snowflake cut out of a spellbinder die but as I don't have the packaging any more can't tell you which one it is.

I do hope you can come on over and join us and check out our guests card it's really pretty.
Have a good day.
Jenny x

CD Sunday - Little boys

Hello, it sunday and for me it means one thing - well two actually but the main thing is a new challenge over on CD Sunday, the other thing is no work so it's a win win day for me.

This week Caz has chosen her theme to be Little Boys and I decided to do a card for a little boy rather than put an image of a little boy on a card.

For my card I've used a couple of cd's, it's good to go through the older ones you have in your collection and give them an airing. This week it's Just Inklined and Bearly Mine Designer Extreme, there are some useful things on both of these cd's so I must remember that I've got them and use them again.

The card is a 6 inch and I used two different backing papers and no extra mats, this is so it will go into the post on a normal stamp and not cost a fortune to post. The greeting is cut from some Tattered Lace dies using some glossy cardstock, makes a change from stamping.

I hope you can come over and join us and have a look what the rest of the team have done.

Bye for now!

CD Sunday - Shop til You Drop

Good morning, the sun is shining and I'm on holiday from work so it's a great day! Over at CD Sunday this week it was my turn to choose a topic and I decided on Shop til You Drop, the team have made some great cards so I do hope you will pop over and join us  this week.

For my card I used Craft Artist 2 and the Butterfly garden kit, I also used some digi images that I have had for quite a while and can't remember where I bought them from so if you like them and wanted to buy them for yourself I'd have to do a bit of digging to find out for you.

I built the scene up and then printed the topper off so it was flat to go into the post, it would be quite easy to decoupage if you wanted to but I didn't on this occasion.

Hope you can join us and I'll have a little prize for the top three winner. x