The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge 3

Third week - March - at The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge asks us to show spring in the form of GREEN AND FLOWERS.   I did some shadow stamping to show the change from dull winter to the green spring emerging. Materials used.
Green cosmic Shimmer Mist to give background colour.
Branch stamp, with flowers and butterflies - Debbie Moore. Dragonflry - Elusive Images
Grass stamps from Inkylicious.
Tapestry stamps around the borders.
Distress Inks Frayed burlap and Bundled Sage, plus others for the border.
Green Acetate Marker Pen to colour the clear crystal gems to light green plus darker green gem stones.
Pale green card to mat the calendar.
if you need to know how to make the calendar holder to to my tutorial blog.

The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge 2

For the second week at The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge the requirement is RED and EMBOSSING.
I  have decided to go the romantic Valentine route. Again I will list the materials I used.
Materials Used.................
Swirl Stamps , Hearts and Leaves - Creative Expressions -
Free Stamp bird/heart from Craft Stamper magazine.
Memento Ink pad, Clear Embossing powder.  Flowers from stash.
Distressing Inks Worn Lipstick and Fired Brick
Red card to mat the calendar - Gemstones.
Many thanks. To see how to make the calendar holder check out my tutorial blog.

Craft Barn Calendar - January

The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge started on 10th September. A friend very kindly mentioned it to me, this is the type of thing I love doing. If you pop onto the page for the first week you will find all the information of a 12 week competition, with details each week, for the next stage. I decided to use the same format for the calendar which I used a couple of years ago, with of course new pages according to the requirements.
For the January page you need to include Blue and Crackle.
The details on how to make the calendar holder are so simple, I have added the measurements and how to, on my tutorial blog here . I will list the materials used, rather than explain each procedure.
Materials Used................
Crackled Stamp from Creative Expressions - Perfect Medium (same as Versamark), Clear Emb. powder.
Brilliance inkpad - Snowman stamp - Inkadinkado - Mask of Snowman
Distress Inks - Tumbled Glass, Faded Jeans and Chipped Sapphire.
Do Crafts Snowflake Emb. Powder -   embossed around all edges.  A snowflake stamp from stash.
3 snowflake brads, added glue and glitter to each.
Silver paper and blue card to mat the calendar sheet.
Quickie glue pen and Jones Tones Diamante glitter.

Anything but a card

This is our last week at Make My Monday with the monthly theme of Steampunk, the challenge is to now make 'Anything but a card', come on girls, you have been making some awesome pieces of Steampunk, this may take a few more days but be sure to have fun and imagine your an inventor in Victorian days, trying to imagine the future. Please pop over to our blog for the team members have made some absolutely stunning pieces of  steampunk art. I decided to alter a very cheap notebook, you get 5 or 6 for a £1, in Poundand. I love that shop, but then who doesn't? I covered it in papers, stamped and added a few images. the heart and jewels is a piece I actually found in the gutter, when getting out of the car one day, washed it, and thought I'll use that one day, well the day came. Punched a hole through with my Crop-a-dile, secured it with a brad and tape on the back. Added a few cog wheels in her hair. Stamped and punched out NOTES, which I then added Glossy Accents to. A notebook with a difference. I am so looking forward to visiting you all again to see your creations, have fun ladies.

St. Luke's Charity Card Buffet - No 4

Here is my fourth card for the St. Luke's Charity Card Challenge, the last for the month. This month the challenge is to add four items from a Card Buffet, no more and no less. Not, for me, an easy challenge. My card is one of the Fabulous Folds from the C.D by Rob Addams, which make really interesting shapes of cards. Covered in patterned paper (1), stamped with flowers  from Kanban, (2), gems added to the flowers, (3) plus ribbon along the lower section. (4). I will be posting, as usual, at least  2-3 of these cards to you at the end of the month. hope your all well ladies.

St. Luke's Card Buffett No 3

This is my second posting today, please check out my other postings, more to follow too.
To be sure to complete the challenge I made to myself and to St. Lukes's Charity Card Challenge, I need to enter two cards today for I have a busy week ahead. Now this month they have a Card Buffet, similar to Bingo, I have found this quite difficult for we have to have only four from the list, no less, no more. Four is a tough one, did you know tht girls, when you set this up?
I need to thank Gina K of Stamp TV   here  and here  for the inspiration of this card, which is for using up scraps. The way I built up the background is explained in the videoes. I added a piece of toning ribbon. The stamped image, from Dawn Bibby was embossed then I painted the flower with bleach, which lifted the colour from the card.
Elements used from the Craft Buffet - Patterned paper -( background,) Ribbon, Embossed  - Flower (4)

Vintage on the Catwalk

For the next two weeks we at Fashionable Stamping Challenge  would love to see a vintage project. Please check out our few but important rules, no digis allowed, it must have some stamping clearly visable.
I often say I'm not a pink girl, but I keep being drawn to it, even for vintage/shabby chic. The background page is from a 6 x 6 album, quite plain but I stamped a few scroll patterns to give more depth. The ladies are from Crafty Individuals stamped onto plain pink card, then matted onto black card. The letters pile is from one stamp, stamped three times and piled up to again add dimension. A lovely stamp from the sale box from The Stampman. The embellishments of lace, string of white pearls, a few white pearls in the pink flowers and a few pink pearls on the ladies stamped images completed the vintage card. I am loving the challenges and being part of a remarkable Design Team, I am still so thrilled I was invited to join them. I look forward to visiting your blogs, the tags challenge produced some really awesome work, we do look at every one, although we share the commenting. Have fun, dig out your stamps and stash -- go vintage.
I will also add this to the following challenges............
Gingerloft Challenges - Vintage or Distressed   Closes October 1st.
Wags n Whiskers  - Lace  - Closes  30th Sept.

Fest for Less Is More No 10 Definetly My Last!

No 10 for the Less Is More - Anything CAS Goes aiming for 1000 by midnight tonight.  I missed the double challenge,  so thought I'd do this. Another excuse to try out another E Bay purchase, delivered today, this is what set me off making six cards this afternnon. Isn't this lavendar stamp delicious? Stamped with Forest Moss and coloured with  a Sakura purple Glaze pen.
Added several card candy again in the purple. I'm going to add inside  this card a small sachet of lavender,  from my little garden.
Good luck girls, hope you make it. If not you've probably still got a record. Well done, especially on keeping up with the comments.

My Less Is More Fest No 9

Here is my No 9 for the Less Is More Anything CAS Goes, aiming for 1000 by midnight tonight. I so frequently say, these are my favourite,  I really shouldn't say that for I love all of my stamps, but Lavina stamps are beautiful.  Here are the poppies, stamped and coloured with a green Copic pen and red Sakura glaze pen.

Less Is More Fest My No 8

Continuing the Fest for Less Is More Anything CAS Goes, with my No 8. I used four stamps from one of my very first successful bids, ages ago, on E bay, this is what set me on the slippery slope of becoming a serious stamp collector. Those are my OH's words, of course, not mine. The stamps are a boxed set by Hero Arts called Poetic Petals. I think I may have missed the challenge 'Off the Page', if not here is another.

My Less is More Fest No 7

To continue the Less Is More Fest,  Anything CAS Goes, aim for 1000 by midnight tonight, here is my
No 7. A good excuse to try out a recent purchase from E Bay, a Personal Impressions wooden stamp of a little girl, I wasn't sure whether to colour her in or leave her black and white, I went for the latter but will colour her later,  when not in a hurry to reach my target of 10.

Less Is More Fest No 6

Back to Less is More, Anything CAS Goes, aim for 1000 - before 12 midnight, here is my No 6. I choose to make this one because I missed the week when the challenge was a touch of red. A beautiful scroll stamp from Kanban, with very small red gems added. So simple, so quick, yet still an enjoyable card to see develop from a white square.

Less Is More No 5

I decided to make another card for the Less Is More Anything CAS Goes who are aiming for 1000cards before 12 midnight tonight. This is my 5th card, I splodged several D inks onto my craft mat, spritzed and got into a lovely mess. I then laid a whtie sheet of card onto the mess, and heat dried with my heat tool. When dry I stamped a Poppy stamp from Crafty Individuals, punched the side of the card, then added a greeting. Once I'd completed it I thought, time is a wasting why not make another 5, up to a total of 10 - all of which  except the first card,  will be donated to the Salvation Army, a charity I support nearer to Christmas time.

Fat Pages Swap for Blog Buddies. Any Interest?

For many years I have admired the Fat Books I have seen on blogs or the internet in general.  I think the time has come in my 'creative journey' to make a Fat Book. Last week I decided to arrange a swap of Fat Pages each month over the next year on the ATC Do Crafts forum, this has made my little grey cells why don't I organise another, totally seperate swap for my blog buddies. Any interest?
If you Google Fat Pages there are some interesting videos.
What is a Fat Page Stamping Swap----

A piece of strong card 4 inches x 4 inches is decorated using stamping to meet the theme/technique given.
On the left side you need to be sure NOT to add any embellishments to the outer 1/2" to allow holes to be punched into the card, to add split rings or cord etc. It can still be painted or decorated.
Don't add the holes to the one you will sending for a swap, they may not fit where the recipient has her rings. Embellishments can be added.
ON THE REVERSE - Remember this will still be seen, add your name, the name of the challenge, the date, plus any details you wish to add- stamp, technique etc. Decorate the back in a subdued way, paper, paint or inks.
You will need to know how I would organise it, here is the rundown.
1. If your in the Do Crafts swap this is a totally seperate swap for BLOG BUDDIES.
2. Each month we will have a theme e.g. October - Halloween and November - Poppies/Remember .
3. Each person willing to join in the swap to let me know by the 2nd of each month if they are joining in the swap for that current month. Please contact by e-mail.
4. When contacting me to confirm your entering, to also add your address for me to pass on to your partner.
  Please also indicate whethere your willing to post abroad or not, for me to suitably arrange the swaps.
5. As soon as I have the list of participants, from the emails received, I will form a list, and arrange for partners to swap.
6. I would hope each participant will have completed their part of the swap by the last day of each month.
7. To show on your blog the Fat Page you received. Not the one your sending, hold back the surprise for your partner.
8. Depening on the number of participants, which could be different each month, I will keep a record of who swapped with whom, aiming to get a wide range of swappers for each person.
9. As long as there are 3 participants per month we could go ahead.
10. Any questions please ask in comments for someone else may think of the same question. I will answer all questions in comments.
I eagerly await any comments, questions but expecially to hear if anyone is interested in getting a Fat Book started. thanks for reading all of the above.

Target 1000 entries - My 4th card

My fourth card for Less Is More attempt to reach 1000 entries in the Anything CAS Goes challenge. Sorry it's another sympathy card, but recently have held a class for Sympathy cards, clean and simple. I think cream and brown is as elegant as black and white but softer to the eye. This is such a simple card I measured the piece of card I needed, to be matted onto a piece of brown cardstock. Stamped with Memento Rich Cocoa, a beautiful swirl stamp from Elusive Images, added a sentiment and 3 dark brown pearls.
Hoping to get at least one more made. Fingers crossed ladies.

Aiming for 1000 - My Third Card

My third card for the Less Is More attempt to have 1000 entries this week in Anything CAS Goes. I covered the upper and lower thirds of the card with copy paper, secured with low tack tape. I then added, a small amount of Milled Lavender to the upper section and Stormy Sky to the lower section. Dabbed with the copy paper to dry. I then stamped the centre trees from  Inkylicious and the outer trees from Elusive Images.  I have added With Sympathy, however, in the pipeline I am going to add some snow and make several for Christmas cards.

Aiming for 1000 - My Second

This is my second card to add to the Less is More, Anything CAS Goes, attempt to get to 1000 cards, a tough goal, best wishes ladies. My Bee Happy card, now that I see it on the screen it is clearly slanted, normally I wouldn't add it, but would be off making another, however, as the emphasis is to inrease the numbers, I and I hope many others who look at it, will not see that it is uneven. I used a stamp bought from The Stampman, stamped it with Walnut Stain DI and then coloured the card with Frayed Burlap, matted onto brown cardstock.

Aiming for 1000

Over at Less is More, this week the subject is Anything CAS Goes, with the hopes of Chrissie and Mindi to reach 1000 entries, come on everyone, three days to go and only a third of the way there. I'm not sure how many entries we can make but I am hoping to get a few more made. This is one of several alike, I have made to send to some friends, for their recent acts of kindness. I had a fair number of odd envelopes, so in reverse fashion I have made some cards to match the envelopes. Cut to size then I used an old favourite background stamp from Anitas, using Mustard Seed, Dried marigold and Spiced Marmalade. I then over stamped with Tuxedo black the Pinter's Vase from Hero Arts. The sentiment is an old faithful foam stamp. I hope you girls make it with a last minute deluge of entries.

It's a Wonderful World

This weeek at Try It On Tuesday, we would like to see any crafted project which will fit to the the song title "It's A Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong. I made a tent folded card, which for me shows a sample of our beautiful countryside, of  which I never tire living in, the birds depicting the wild life, and the Love they share for one another, for Love is a Wonderful Thing.
I first used, Distress Inks, Mustard Seed, Peeled Paint and a little of Spiced Marmalade. I then sprayed with Cosmic Shimmers Mists, a light green and Golden Fish.
Stamps used are Eastern Grasses from Elusive Images, birds and branch Inkadinkado clear stamps 98849.

Card Buffet at St. Lukes's

2nd post today, Metal with Steampunk below
I'm a little behind on my pledge of one card per week to the fund raising blog St Luke's Charity Card Challenge. I have had a very busy month, plus catching a cold and a chest infection twice in a short period of time is not recommended. However, when you love your hobby it is easy to diversify your self pity, get on and make a card. I am enjoying the challenge once again from St. Lukes, which is a Card Buffett, also known as a Bingo challenge.
My card this week has the required four elements:-
Patterned Paper, Punch (Die-cut) with Embossing and Pearls.
The stamp used, Flying Stars by Penny Black is one of my forever favourites,  it can be different everytime I use it, this time I covered some areas with a Quickie glue pen, let it dry then covered it with copper foil, which I am hoping will show in the photo.  Technically, I don't think it is a flower, if it is , oops! It's not easy keeping to four, is it? Backing paper is from Artylicious, 'Just for you' is an old stamp from my stash.



Steampunk with some Metal

Continuing our theme of Steampunk for September, at Make My Monday, this week we ask for you to use some metal.  I decided to make a shaker card, by adding some cog type pieces of metal into the  flight shaker section. I also added a metal butterfly to continue the idea of flight.
Stamps used are from Tim Holtz Steampunk CMS 107, The Stampman- Across the Miles and from Flight by Creative Expressions.
Inks used - Green Cosmic Shimmer Mist spray. Distress Inks - Antique Linen and Broken China.
It seems Steampunk is not as popular as some previous themes, but it is interesting ladies, so I look forward once again to visit your blogs, for there have been some amazing pieces of Steampunk art seen over the past few weeks.

Altered Mirror

I altered this mirror for a friend who came from London to the Geordieland Meet, as mentioned earlier. The 4" sq. mirror was added after the pic was taken. I used a poppy stamp from Elusive Images, the butterfly is from Personal Impressions by Lyndsay Mason, the letters for Poppies is again from Elusive Images.

Old stamps -Tag at TIOT

Over at Try It On Tuesdays, this week we are asked to make a Tag, but the extra requirement is to use old stamps, the ones at the back of the cupboard or drawer. Those old faithful, but not used for ages stamps, we who have stamps will have a few (ummm) not used for ages. I pulled out one of the first See D's I bought which is the Victorian set, there were ideal for ATCs, my ealier passion. In addition I have also used a few of my peg stamps, which I adore, but don't use them as much as I used to, time for them to have a revival. The words 'wish' and 'wonder' are also oldies, on a rotating stamp from 7 Gypsies. Please pop over for it is amazing what the remainder of the DT have discovered in the back of their cupboards. Thanks for visiting.

Steampunk Monochrome

This week at Make My Monday we are continuing our theme for the month of STEAMPUNK, this time we would like to see you make a monochrome project, most people think that black and white is the perfect choice for monochrome, but surprisingly when you look at the blog you will see all but one of us have gone for brown/sepia tones, but the choice is yours. Have fun. I had fun making this card for I was making it for a very dear friend for her birthday, so was able to personalise it with some of the elements forI know she loves steampunk. I would like to thank
http://stampingallday.blogspot.com/2011/09/free-steampunk-travel-topper-download.html for her free download which provided some of the card, I also used several stamps, listed below. The piece of material with eyelets was a real lucky find in one of my stash drawers, can't remember when and how I acquired it, but one of those pieces you know will be useful one day.
Stamps used:--Corset -Bravura stamps via E-bay, Lady from Across the Miles via The Stampman, Admit One - from Tim Holtz -Steampunk CMS 107, Flower, freebie from Craft Stamper nagazine.
I am also entering this into Simon Says Stamp and Show Some Steampunk.

Tags, any shape, any form Challenge

At Fashionable Stamping Challenge this week we would like to see you make a Tag, any shape, any form, anything you like. I apologise for being a couple of days late, but this has been a multi-event weekend for me, this is my first opportunity to add my tag. I used a stamp from Tandastamps which I've had for ages, with a few background stamps related to travel, so this is my Travel Tag. I spritzed the background on an A4 sheet of card some time ago, pulled it from my stash, cut out the tag, then stamped my designs. Please pop over to the blog, for there are some amazing tags from my fellow Stampettes. Yes, the essential requirement is stamping must be included on your projects. Thanks for visiting and even maybe commenting on my tag. Any questions I will answer.

Geordieland Meet 2011

What is she talking about? You may well ask.
This being the 4th year, each year I have organised a get together for many friends from the Do Craft ATC forum. They travel from local areas around Durham and Northumberland, also from Scotland, Yorkshire, Lancashire, Liverpool, London and many other places. All with the purpose of having a day of fun, crafting, laughter and demonstrations form within the group, for there are many talented members around. We used to just concentrate on ATCs but many of us are now more interested in card making. We meet in a beautiful village hall at Snod's Edge on the border area of Durham/Northumberland in  gorgeous countryside. I have been absent from my blog for a while, this is the reason, readers. I have been busy preparing and sharing a wonderful weekend with many equally wonderful crafting friends. My husband and I have also been sharing with them our 45th wedding anniversary. We managed to make a profit of £210.00 from our sales etc, which I will be sending to the Help the Heroes fund. Here are a few pics of the day, there were 25 + 2 girls present.



Monochrome at TIOT

This week at Try It On Tuesdays, we are challenging you to make a Monochrome Card, I decided on making a pale blue card. I used a piece of blue parchment to mat a pieces from Tim Holtz's Shabby Chic stash pad, using dies I punched out the circle, butterfly and layers to make the flower, which is from the same paper.The fairy is a Lavinia stamp.  I added some sparkle to the fairy image and a few gems to the butterfly. Once again the card challenge is being sponspored by One Stop Card Crafts. Please pop over to TIOT  to see the wonderful selection of monochrome cards my fellow Design Team members have created. I look forward once again to visiting your blogs.
Other challenges I will enter this card into are----
St. Luke's Charity Card Challenge - Card Buffet - I have used four of the buffet ingredients,
  Patterned Paper, Flowers, Punches and Gems.
Blogger's Challenge    Monochromatic Blue

Steampunk at Make My Monday

The first Monday in September brings us, Make My Monday,  to the start of a new topic for the month, Cath in Cyprus has chosen Steampunk. Now I will be honest, whilst this is fast becoming very popular, it's really out of my comfort zone. I have even bought some new stamps, but I'll probably be using the same stamps for all of the projects all of September, so please forgive me. The first week, the challenge is an ATC - I think maybe the idea is for we strangers to Steampunk to start small. I used Tim Holtz Shabby Chic paper for the background, the stamps I  used are a steam-roller from a now defunct company, TH Steampunk CMS 107. I added 3 eyelets, also I used Debbie Moore Metal Magic for the rear wheel on the steam roller, to provide some metal on my ATC. Plaease pop over to the blog to check out my fellow DT members to see their amazing  Steampunk ATCs. Thanks for visiting me.

Where have I been?

Good question. It seems ages since I blogged, well I have been looking around and commenting where I am a DT member. I have had a computer problem which I don't think is resolved as yet, my son is coming on Monday to give it an overhaul or clean up. I have been child minding for two days, so life has been busy. I did manage to make several cards for my class last Friday, we are now up to the letter S - so I started with Sympathy, not always easy cards to make. This is one of them, I wanted both easy and more involved cards to suit needs and to maybe take some folk out of their comfort zones. I used Broken China and Chipped Sapphire DIs. The  daisy flower stamp is from Sheena Douglas, which I embossed with Stampendous White E.P.