Exciting NEW Fat-tastic Tuesday

We are all excited at Fat-Tastic Tuesday for today is a new beginning for a new challenge blog. What are we about, well we are all about the Fat 4 inches. Please pop over to the blog to check out what we are up to.

For our #1 challenge we have provided you with a sketch, all rules and instructions are on the main blog. 

Our first theme is BIRTHDAYS. I have used a super  digi stamp of a stack of parcels from our sponsor

I used papers from my stash, and coloured the images with my Promarkers. The little flowers are from Dreamees, I use these a lot for they are such a sweet size. 

A NEW Challenge Blog startsTODAY

Interested just click HERE to see what this is all about. 

It's new! It's different.

We only want to see your creations which measure 4 inches x 4 inches or for the younger person 

10 cm x 10 cm.

You can enter with either a Fat Page, a 4 x 4 inch square card or a 4 inch square book. 

We will provide a sketch and maybe now and again a little twist for added interest. 

The challenge will start on  Tuesdays  for two weeks  ending on Mondays.

Each week there will be samples made by the Design Team, to inspire you. 

We have terrific digi stamp sponsors for each and every challenge which lies ahead. 

looking forward to getting started and hopefully introducing a fresh enthusiastic team of followers for our new 

Fat Tastic blog.

Anything But A Card

Now for something different at Make My Monday, we would like to see ANYTHING BUT A CARD.

I host two Fat Pages Stamping Swaps and am also a member of a NEW Design Team for a Fat Tastic challenge blog. Interested? Do you want to know more?  Then watch this space for there will be some exciting news later today . This is my fat page for the Do-Crafts Fat Page swap organised on the ATC Forum, it was for the theme of Childhood Memories. I used a lovely stamp from Joanna Sheen by Faye Whittaker called Bucket and Spade. The birds are from Inkylicious. I coloured everything with DI Mustard Seed and Broken China in a watercolour format. 

Below is another Fat page I have made for Stampers UK a Yahoo group with a current Fat Page swap, this one was for an  Oriental/Asian theme. The stamps are from The Stampman - Non-Sequitor stamps. I again used Promarkers to colour the stamped images. You may be wondering, what are Fat Pages, if you want to know more please click on the Fat Pages Page on my page bar above. I look forward to visiting you to see what you have made instead of a card. 

Purple Paradise

This week at CD Sunday Challenges  Wendy has chosen Purple Paradise. I do believe that purple is a very popular colour amongst crafters, so we are expecting this to be a popular challenge. I have a friend who will be celebrating a special birthday shortly so thought this card may be made with her in mind. I hope she likes it. The image is from a Fashion CD from Maria G Designs, one of many CDs I bought several years ago on E-Bay, most of them are just images without all the exciting background papers etc, but this is by no means a way to stop a card being made. I punched on each edge of a piece of purple paper with a Martha Stewart punch.  I added two very pretty die cuts which provide the base for the flowers from my stash. Purple jewels

added to the mattered and layered main image, all on an 8 inch shaped card. I do look forward once again in visiting you to see your outstanding pieces of Purple Paradise. Have fun ladies. 

F is for Fantasy at Alphabet Challenge

Hi to all my visitors, this week at Alphabet Challenge Pat has chosen for the letter F - Fantasy. Now this of course can fit into many forms of fantasy, but please be careful where you allow your fantasies to roam. The above fantasy came about because I had bought a collection of fabulous girl stamps from Debbie Moore, they have been designed I believe by Kerry Jo. I love this female pirate, I coloured her with Promarkers. The background pirate paper was purchased especially for a LO Scrapbook page for a grandson's pirate birthday party, this is a small piece left over, I always keep my scraps and do try to use them. (Don't we all say that)? I embossed the background, it looks like snake skin, it has been rubbed with Vintage Photo DI. I'm really looking forward to visiting you to see your Fantasy cards. 

Little Boy Blue

Over at Here Come the Boys the current challenge is Little Boy Blue in Monochrome. 

At Sunday Sketch and Stamp the current sketch was perfect for my Monochrome card.
At I Love Promarkers their current challenge is A Square Card with Something Round on it. 

The papers are all from my stash. The main image is a LOTV stamp of the boy with his guitar accompanied by his singing dog. Coloured with Promarkers. Thanks for the challenges to both groups. 

#42 Make Your Mark

It's Challenge #42 - at Addicted to Stamps and More   and this week it is time to MAKE YOUR MARK, by using any form of medium, inks, Promarkers, Aquamarkers, any other alcohol pens or markers. Have fun.

We are again very pleased to welcome our sponsor for this week 

For my card I was inspired when looking on Sheena Douglas's webs site, I had recently bought some flower stamps and my mojo went off on one of it's little holidays. One glance and that was it, I was off running. I coloured the background using Distress Inks blended together, Peeled Paint, Broken China and Mustard Seed. I then stamped second generation the words from the set, though the ideas is only for them to be very light. I then gold embossed my most favourite swirl stamp in my collection it is from La Blanche, I'm sure you will have spotted it frequently on my work. I then completed the card by adding some of Sheena Douglas's  butterflies, painted with blue H20's with Glossy Accents on them. A yellow ribbon to complete. Now let us see how you will Make Your Mark during the next week. 

I would like at this stage to welcome my latest followers, I am always glad to see new faces looking down on my work, your comments are always so heart warming and help to keep the mojo in motion. 

Folded Card at MMM

Hi, this week for something really different we at Make My  Monday are challenging you to 

Make A Card with More Than One Fold. Some time ago these Shutter cards were very popular, so I thought I would re-visit an older technique. If your interested here is a You Tube video to watch. Once the card was made I measured  white pieces of card to fit each section. I then chose my colours of Versa-colour ink pads. The stamps I used were a number of various Peg Stamps I have in my stash. I love these small stamps they are so universal, I don't think I use them enough. The centre For You sentiment is an adorable small stamp I was lucky to find for 50p. I'm looking forward to seeing a variety of folded cards over the next week, have fun everyone. 

Majesty at CD Sunday Challenges

This week at CD Sunday Challenges it is again my turn to choose the topic, I have decided upon Majesty, which according to the dictionary means stateliness or grandeur. I started with an 8 inch shaped card, I added Flitter glue, (Indigo Blu) around the edges then sprinkled with gorgeous gold flakes, so the entire border is gold flakes. Inside I already had the pink background from a previous printed card, though I have forgotten from which CD it came from, sorry to the producer. I backed the main image onto gold mirri card to add more splendour. The actual image is from a CD I purchased a good many years ago from E Bay, it is called Africana from Maria G Designs. Ribbon added, jewels, a flower and two stick pins to complete the embellishments. I again will be visiting your blogs over the next week, have fun ladies and gentlemen. 

Code Word is Flower

For the next two weeks at Addicted to CAS (Clean and Simple) the Code Word was my choice.
I chose FLOWER, everyone loves flowers, so we are expecting to see a beautiful array of flowers over the next two weeks.

Our thanks to our wonderful sponsors.

I like to experiment, make a mess and play with my craft stash, this card is the result of a play session. Speaking to newbies rather than those experienced crafters, many times when you know what you want to achieve but it just doesn't happen, please don't despair. The card above was the fourth attempt for me.

I added water to my two chosen colours of H2Os though any mica pigment medium would work as well. 

I added the paints directly onto the stamp, from La Blanche, sprayed water onto it, to give a watercolour effect. I then stamped it directly onto the card, this is the second generation stamping. (I stamped it twice). first on copy paper them onto the card. Please do have a go sometime, enjoy playing. We are all looking forward to seeing your CAS Flower projects. 

W is for ....@ The Craft Barn

It's that time again at The Craft Barn and they have given us the letter W with a twist, they also want to see circles on the journal page. To meet the circles part, I had to drink a glass of wine, oh! the tortures we put ourselves through for our art. LOL The circles on my page have been created with the aid of the bottom of a wine glass, yes the stains are wine stains, not paint. I stamped the grape vines around the page, coloured them with my DI Forest Green and Peeled Paint for the leaves and Dusty Concord with a white pencil for highlights for the grapes.The grapes, wine bottle and glass with the single glass are all stamps from Sheena Douglas from the Provence set. The quotation is from Robert Louie Stevenson.

I am still playing catch up - here is my version for the letter C which was the challenge for Week 2 way back in January. I am determined to catch up to everyone by creating the current one along with another. 

For my letter C I decided on CLOISSONE  prounounced as Klawz zone, definition means enamel work within wire work. Hopefully you will spot my peel off letters claiming it to be FAUX for this method is used in crafting. I first coloured my page with water coloured form of Peeled Paint. I then stamped with Versamark, and gold embossed the branches and leaves, followed on in the same way adding the flowers. I have painted each element with H20 mica paints, finished with Glossy Accents to give the enamel effect. Added a large metal C coloured with a Promarker pen. All stamps are again from Sheena Douglas.  Thanks to The Craft Barn I am really enjoying these challenges but wish they were weekly and not two weekly. 

Up in the Sky

Over at My Time To Craft their current challenge is 'Up in the Sky'. I have been catching up on some scrapbooking pages of older photographs these past few months and I feel this one is perfect for the challenge. We had a marvellous day at the Sunderland Kite Festival and the boys still talk about it to this day. I made all of the kites on the LO page, using pieces of paper, some of them being from Oriental countries, Japan and China. I hope you enjoy looking at the page, I apologise for the little darkness on a few of the photos. I so enjoy making scrapbook LOs. Have fun in all you do.  Thanks for visiting me and welcome to my newest followers, it is always so gratifying to see a new face appear in the wonderful ensemble of followers.  

Mid Week Motivation at MMM

Hi, this is Caz here, a member of the Make My Monday design Team, for the Mid Week Motivation I have prepared a very simple and easy to follow mini-tutorial which again uses Distress Inks from Ranger. The theme is to use Blue and Brown,  the only two colours I have used on a plain white card. First you need to choose the size of card you want to make, then add a layer of card or paper, in this case I used brown. Then you need to cut a piece of white card to place onto the brown card when completed. Punch out with either a hand punch or a die cut a circle, the size really depends on the size of your card. I used a hand punch using a post it note to have a temporary sticky side for the moon. Place on the white card where needed.

I then chose Tumbled Glass, Broken China and Faded Jeans, for the blue shades of Distress Inks. Starting at the bottom with Tumbled Glass,  I added to approx the lower third. I then added the Broken China the  next third and finally the Faded Jeans to the upper third. I went around the entire piece with the Faded Jeans forming a defined edge all around. I sprayed water into the palm of my hand, gathered the water at my fingertips and splattered the water onto the inked page, this gives good large spots which lifts off the ink. Pat with a dry piece of a wet wipe or similar. I then dried the card with my heat tool. 

Anything Goes at ATS&M

We are so thrilled to be sponsored by 

For the next week we at Addicted to Stamps and More are challenging you to create something, anything which fits in the category of ANYTHING GOES - we are expecting to see lots of different forms of creations.   I had the greatest fun and the most nervous time combined when decorating this box. Let me explain. Firstly it was the first time I have tackled this form of creative work using this technique. Secondly the finished product wasn't for me, so mistakes weren't really acceptable, whilst a learning curve it had to be right. I belong to a recently formed Yahoo group called Stampers UK, we organise various forms of swaps, which of course must include stamping and/or stamping techniques. Recently we had a Secret Object swap, we each had to add what colour/s we would like and what form of theme we would prefer for whatever our object was. We were then each allocated a partner. My partner wanted either Steampunk or Victorian in blue and yellow. She almost got her full wish but I went with peach instead of yellow. For a few weeks I have been popping onto You Tube to check out how you cover an object with stamped on tissue paper, then I received in the post from the organiser of the swap, a round tin. I gasped, I wasn't expecting anything other than a flat object, but I went back to You Tube and set to. I painted the box with blue acrylic, then got stamping onto white tissue paper. It is very much like decopatch, only with a one layer of tissue paper instead of papers. I made some flowers  and butterflies for the lid. Added  a dash  of Stampendous embossing powder and glitter flakes. Then I added some glue and gilding flakes. My swap partner, I am pleased to say loves her box. I have managed to get some similar boxes from a local craft shop, and next on my agenda is, I am going to teach my card class how to do this. Well, ladies, it's your turn now to make

ANYTHING for our ANYTHING GOES challenge. Have fun during your creative times.

New Challenge at Make My Monday

Here we are at Make My Monday, starting our new challenge, which this week is my choice. I love colours and techniques, so for this challenge I have chosen for us to use Blue and Brown shades only on our project. 

I have made a card, a masculine type for a change, I have combined some designer papers and plain blue and brown card. My main image is the stamped engine from Tandastamps. I have added a few sprinkles of mixed  Stampendous Frantage, heated it, for the billowing smoke. I do hope you enjoy this challenge. I look forward to visiting you to see the many variations of Blue and Brown. Have fun. I'll be back on Wednesday with a Mid week - Motivation on Make My Monday.
I am also entering this card into the Anything Goes Challenge at Cards for Men. and
Eureka Stamps   'For the Boys' challenge.
Love to Create  challenge 'For the Guys'

Thank You - CD Sunday Challenges

This week at CD Sunday Challenge Beryl has challenged us to make a THANK YOU card. We all need at some time or another to have maybe one or two put aside for those times when you just want to thank someone for that little expression of kindness. I made this card specifically for a friend who really adores pansies. the image is from a Peerless Designs - Yesteryear Floral Vase Collection. The remainder consist of card from my stash, the yellow ribbon and a foam stamp saying Thank You. I used a Martha Stewart punch for the trellis pattern on the side of the card. An easy card to make, but we do sometimes need that quick card. I'm sure you will enjoy making this week's card and I look forward to visiting you all again. Before I leave I would like to Welcome Sue T to our Design Team, I have long admired her creations and am thrilled to be on the same team, working along side her. 

E is for Emerald

For the next two weeks at Alphabet Challenge we would like to see your creations using any shade of green, which MUST be the prominent colour on your project. E for Emerald is the choice made by Tammy, but because she is so considerate, she decided any shade of green will do. I have used a selection papers from my stash, a few die - cuts to embellish. My main topper is from Crafty Sentiments - Jasmine my foxy lady. Coloured with Promarkers. I do hope you have fun creating your project. I look forward to visiting you. 

#40 - Photo Inspiration & DT Call

We are being sponsored this week by 

 This week at Addicted to Stamps and More we are challenging you to create a project using the above photo to inspire you. Please pop over to our blog where you will find some wonderful creations from the DT.
The card below is one I have made. I am truly no artist but with these stamps from Hobby Art you can at least pretend you are a water colour painter.

I used most of the stamps from Coastal Wildlife and a few from Coastal Scene-it. I mainly used Distress Inks as a water colour paint, the chair is a stamp by Mary Hughes. I am looking forward to checking in on your creations to see how you have interpreted the photo, remember all we need is an interpretation, but most of all have fun and enjoy what your doing.

 DT CALL                            DT CALL                     DT CALL

Just before I go, I wanted to let you know there is a special announcement on the
Addicted to Stamps and More challenge blog, Kylie is sending out a DT Call.  If you are interested please visit the blog for more information on how to apply. Good luck if you decide to give it a go. 

Create Own Background

It's time at Make My Monday for you all to get messy, we would like you to CREATE YOUR OWN BACKGROUND. If your a regular visitor to my blog you may remember a recent card I added which had been created using Shaving Foam and Inks.  (here)  I did warn you there would be more to come. This all came about from a request at my card class. It had been a year or so, since I had used the technique. More details are on my blog as mentioned above. Plus don't forget the many videos available on You tube. 

I digress - I asked my hubbie to go to Morrison's where they are selling Shaving Foam at 26p a can, yes, it's true. He went to the self service machine with 10 cans, the shop assistant there looked at him and smiled. He turned round and said "My wife uses a lot!". I still to this day, don't know if he is winding me up or not.

N.B. UK is Shaving Foam US is Shaving Cream

Back to business - in the shaving foam, I added a few drops of Mustard Seed and Peeled Paint Refill Inks.

The background paper here is the result, I also stamped the flowers from Sheena Douglass onto a second generation sheet from the foam. Added a few stamped leaves and a couple of die cuts to embellish. The greeting stamp is from Hobby Art Ltd. Have fun, you don't have to get messy, but I find it can be great fun. 

Through the Window- CD Sunday Challenge

Here we are again, at CD Sunday Challenges The challenge this week is Through The Window, so many possibilities as to what we can see through a window. I recently purchased a CD from E Bay called 100 Through the Window images, which fits in perfectly for this theme which was chosen by Carol. Carol is providing the prize for this challenge, please pop over to the main blog to find out more of the details. I used a sheet of pretty paper from a paper pad free with a magazine, Printed and cut out the window frame, fussy cutting I believe it is now called. I added two lovely swirly die cuts and a few flowers to embellish. The With Love stamp is from a Words set of stamps from Sheena Douglass. I do hope you like this challenge and most of all have fun. 

Addicted to CAS - Friend

The Code word this week at Addicted to CAS  chosen by Natasha is FRIEND -
I added inside my card this lovely greeting.

 We are being sponsored this week by 

I recently bought this vintage stamp from Crafty Individuals, I stamped it with Vintage Photo and with a damp brush dragged out some colour. I trimmed the outer edge, then matted it onto brown, cream and again brown card. The topper was then placed onto a cream sheet of card embossed with an EmBossibilities from Spellbinders, which is matted again onto the brown card.  We all need friends and friends need us at different times in our lives, this card will suit for most occasions. Please do pop over to the main blog where you will find wonderful creations from the DT, I look forward to visiting you. Thanks to those who have popped onto my blog, it's always nice to say Hi to any visitors. 

Use Acetate

At Charizma Cardz Challenges this week the challenge is to Use Acetate. My card has an acetate panel. the background is a light lilac colour with a piece of the reverse side which I punched for added interest. The greeting is from a Hobby Art set with some beautiful greetings. The acetate panel was made a few weeks ago, but not featured on my blog, I have assembled the full project this afternoon, for a birthday surprise for someone who loves purple. To achieve the looks of the panel I used a technique where you use  floor polish. For more details go to You Tube, type in Sheena Douglass tutorials and you will find it. My stamp is an old one, had for ages I believe from Elusive Images ( Chocolate Baroque). 

ATS&More #39 CAS

Addicted to Stamps and More this week we are challenging you to our 39th challenge which is CAS

(Clean and Simple).  This week we will be sponsored by Heather Ellis, please check our main blog for more details. For my CAS this week, I have returned to an old but faithful technique. I choose an acrylic block the nearest size of my stamp, which is from Indigo Blu. I put several patted applications of Frayed Burlap onto the block, then sprayed with water. I tapped off the excess with a tissue. Then stamped directly onto my card. This is then dried with my heat tool. I then added the stamp to the block, added Vintage Photo and Frayed burlap to the stamp and stamped directly onto the prepared panel. Stamped Happy Birthday. added a few gems. I think this would make a nice quick and easy card for a guy. I look forward to again visiting your blogs. Happy crafting everyone. 

Alpha/Dictionary Letter R

This is the seventh week for THE CRAFT BARN Alpha/Dictionary challenge and they have asked for the letter R. I have chosen REINDEER. I used Chipped Sapphire as a watercolour for the sky, Pine needles for the ground, white emulsion paint for the hills and lower ground. I stamped the Santa's sleigh and reindeer in the sky directly to the page, then added lots of (peel off)  shh! stars. The trees down the hillside are from Sheena Douglass Pinescape set. The reindeer is from Sheena Douglass again - Christmas set (Creative Expressions). I added Hi-Tack glitter glue along the bottom edge for the glistening snow which I am hoping will show when the pic is enlarged. I have greatly enjoyed making this page, journalling is fun. This is only my second entry, for I was a late starter, however I did say I would catch up so below is my non-entry  attempt at the letter V - which was the first week of the challenge. 

I know there were several entries for VAMPIRE but as I am too late and just doing a catch up, I have gone with the one which appealed to me. I have a combination of Tandastamps,  Bats, cobwebs and skull. (So sorry to hear they are no longer trading). Inidgo Blu - Owl,  spider in web and church cloisters. Kanban - the Vampire from Jasper set of stamps. (Also very sorry that Kanban have ceased to trade too.) I loved making this page and I can keep it. I'll continue to play catch up, so for a few weeks I'll be adding two. I again used Distress Inks on top of white emulsion paint. I have a lot to learn with this journalling art.

CAS - One Layer Card

I wish you all a very Happy Easter, have you ate too many chocolate Easter eggs? I've been a good girl I have, no Easter eggs at all, having been diagnosed with Diabetes.  I will ask for another kind of treat next time we're in Durham,  you never know it could even be something crafty. Back to business, today we at

 Make My Monday would like to see a One Layer CAS card. Please pop over to the main blog to find the instructions and to see the wonderful creations from the newly expanded DT. As today is Easter Monday I thought a little Easter card would fit the challenge. I used a sweet little wooden stamp, I know I purchased it at a craft event but it has no name on it. I still love my wooden stamps and whenever I see them at a ridiculous price, well I just have to rescue them. I stamped it in the middle first then at each end. Have you spotted how straight they are from a wooden stamp? Hot tip I discovered, though many may already know it. I placed a larger acrylic block which is about 1/2" thick along the line I wanted to stamp under. Weighted it down with a large punch, then lined up the wood of the stamp against it and stamped. After I had stamped all 3 images. I then used a line on a Keepsake board  to emboss two lines to form a panel, turned the card over and embossed the same two lines again. I then used a ruler and the tip of a yellow Promarker to make the yellow lines. Coloured the remainder of the images with Promarkers. Yes, the colour did go through the card, but I put a piece of same coloured card on the inside, which is unseen because of the insert paper. 

Again I hope you all have a lovely remaining Easter and enjoy the One Layer CAS challenge.
I am also entering this into Artistic Impressions - Easter or Spring Challenge.