Crafter's Cafe Challenge Blog #39 Anything Goes!

Wow, the year is nearly over, can you believe it!? Well, time for another challenge over at The Crafters Cafe Challenge Blog and this time its one of your favourites - Anything Goes!

Given that we're about to get into December I thought I'd go with a Christmas Card. This week's sponsor is Eureka Stamps and I had a fabulous holly square to play with and I've kept it very traditional. Lots of red and green, some swirly embossing and a sentiment from Craftwork Cards. I have coloured the image with Promarkers in various reds and greens and added a green satin ribbon and bow to finish.

I hope to see you all over at the Crafters Cafe and look forward to seeing what you have made!
Mo xxx

Christmas Challenge at Crafting By Designs

Oh my it's almost December and that of course means closer to Christmas! And time for a new challenge at Crafting By Designs and this week we want to see your Christmas creations. We are being sponsored by Inky Impressions and I have made another Christmas Card with the gorgeous Nikki's Winter Wishes image that I used on a card a few days ago!

This time I have gone with traditional Red, Green and Gold and have made a 8x8" card rather than my usual 6x6" smaller square. As per usual the image is coloured with Promarkers and by coincidence I have also used Craftwork Cards papers on this one too! There are even some of my favourite paper flowers, candi and stickles! Scroll down for Monday's Love to Create post with a similar card in purple and lilac!

I hope that you like this version of the card, I love the Christmassy colours to this one, just shows that an image can be as versatile as you like - I think the lilac would make a lovely birthday card too!

Mo xxx

Challenge #93 at Love to Create - 3 Fav Embellies!

Time for a new challenge at the Love To Create Challenge Blog and this week we want to see your 3 favourite embellishments on your creation! We have the fabulous Inky Impressions as a sponsor this week and you could win some digis from there store so why not join us and have a go!

I have used the Nikki's Winter Wishes image and a very non Christmassy colour scheme! I've used purple and lilacs and coloured the image with promarkers to match the Craftwork Cards Bohemian papers.

My 3 favourite embellishments are - paper flowers, Card Candi and Stickles!

Hope you like! Thanks for looking and I hope you can join us for the challenge!

I will enter this into this week's Inky Impressions Challenge which is Hats, Scarves and Gloves - no hat on Nikki, but she's definitely chilly looking with her scarve and mittens!

Mo xxx

'No People' Challenge at Left of Centre

Time for a new challenge for this fortnight at Left of Centre and this could be tricky - 'No People'! We are sponsored by Meljen's Designs and I've been using the Pretty Poinsettia from their store so I went for a Christmas theme this time!

I've coloured the image using promarkers in various red and green shades and added Platinum stickles to the centre. The background card is embossed using a Sizzix folder and coloured with 'Evergreen Bough' and 'Fired Brick' distress inks applied with an ink blending tool. A bow and Craftwork Cards sentiment finish the card.

This is a very 'non' Left of Centre creation - but you know the rules, you can join us using the 'No people' theme or show us your best 'LOC' creations.... or both!
Hope you can join us for this one,
Mo xxx

Vintage/Shabby Birthday Challenge at Crafting by Designs

Oh dear, it's getting colder by the minute! Anyway, here's some birthday cheer!
This week the Crafting by Designs Challenge is sponsored by Lunagirl who have some gorgeous digital ephemera and art images for use in your crafting. I have used a vintage birthday card image to create a shabby tag!

I have used the Craftwork Cards Vintage Boho papers and a Vintage Chic paper bow. I've distressed the paper edges using the Tim Holtz distressing tool and added 'Old Paper' distress ink to the edges of the papers and bow. The tag is finished with a bit of lace and some Star Dust stickles.

I hope you will join us this week for the birthday challenge - a wee change from all the Christmas festivities this week! Check out the rules, a slight change in that you can now enter only 5 unique projects to the challenge. Hope to see you there!
Mo xxx

Christmas Fayre!!!

Well, for those of you who dont really know me here, as well as being a bit crafty and having this blog and doing stuff for some design teams, I'm also a mother of 4 and Secretary of my daughter's school's PTA! And we're having a Fayre! So as well as trailing around the town and putting up masses of posters and hopefully ensuring a great event with many people through the door, we want to raise as much money as possible for the school... but at the same time, I have booked a table and need lots of people to come through the door and buy from ME! lol

I thought I would share some of my work with you and let you see what I'll have on the day - a taster anyway! This may be pretty picture heavy, but hey, who doesn't love the pictures!

I should point out that all the items in this post have been created using various Craftwork Cards kits. The Christmas themed items are using the Christmas Post kit and there are a few candles using the Time Flies and Tea Dance papers and some with foiled papers from a previous Goody Box.

First up are some hand decorated Candles!  I've used papers, organza ribbon and Tim Holtz Sizzix Alterations Tattered Florals Bigz Die!

 The cellophane on the candles is actually bags for C5 cards tied at the top with ribbons.

 The butterflies on the next one are die cuts that came with the Time Flies kit.

The next two photos show some 6x6" cards using the Christmas Post kit and the Christmas Paper Bows pad.

 The 'JOY' letters are chipboard from another Craftwork Cards Christmas Kit.

Next up are some gift bags also using the Christmas Post collection.

 Here's a close up of one of the bags.

I decided that it would be nice to have matching tags! Just have to add some twine to these, i'm thinking just a natural twine rather than ribbons, keeping with the Kraft/natural theme.

And finally I have also made some 6x6" Wall Hangings. Here's a photo of one and I have a few more sitting waiting to be finished - using up the scraps that are left from the kit!!

I have managed to use all the papers, most of the sentiments and the die cut poinsettias from the kit and when the last couple of hangings are done, there will be nothing left!

Well, like I said, lots of photos today! Better get back to it and get some more things made. I'll be back tomorrow with a post for Crafting By Designs and I'm sure I'll have more crafty bits to show you later!

Thanks for looking!
Mo xxx

Sketch Challenge #92 at Love To Create

Happy Monday Morning Folks! Another week closer to Christmas - less than 6 to go!! How scary is that!?
Anyway, to get you going today we have a Sketch Challenge at Love to Create and three amazing sponsors! I have had joy of working with Stamping Chef 'Speak no Evil' image - a Day of the Dead inspired Sassy and it was a great excuse to get some of my halloween papers back out, not that they ever really go away!

Here is the sketch if you want to play along!

I'm afraid when it comes to sketches... I am very much a 'exactly' type person! I try to add wee extras but pretty much the sketch is what you get! So here is my card. I've gone with a 6x6" square to change it up slightly! The image is coloured with promarkers and some Platinum Stickles. The sentiment and candi are Craftwork Cards and the papers are Echo Park's Apothecary Emporium.

Thanks for joining me this morning, why not pop over to Love to Create and see what the rest of the team have made for you today!
Mo xxx

Midway Reminder for the PunkyouGirl Angels and Demons Challenge!

The November challenge at PunkyouGirl is well underway and here is my inspiration piece for the Midway reminder today on the blog. The theme this month is Angels and Demons.

I have used a Smeared Ink digi stamp from the Goth Fairies collection, her name is 'Honey' - I'm sure she's an angel!

I normally go with purples and black but have changed it up a bit this time round, I have kept some purple in there but gone with copper and brown tones in there too instead of lots of black. The papers are from Kaisercraft and the stamp has been coloured with promarkers. I felt the background of the stamp was very white so I've coloured this using my ink blending tool and both 'old paper' and 'vintage photo' distress inks from Tim Holtz at Ranger.

The rolled roses are using a Marianne Creatable chinese rose die and the same background papers. The sentiment is Craftwork Cards and I've finished it with a seambinding bow and some bling. There's also Star Dust stickles on her wings.

I hope you will show us your inner Dark Angel or Evil Demon and join our challenge this month, hope to see you there!
Mo xxx

Rick St Dennis Sponsoring Crafting By Designs too!

Another wee post from me today. This is also the start of a new challenge at Crafting By Designs and another one sponsored by the fabulous Rick St Dennis! The challenge this week is Anything Goes with a Christmas theme!

I have made a Christmas card using the Happy Elf Snooze image by RSD and used a layout from the Sunday Stamps Challenge Blog. I have used some red and green card, the Sizzix Swiss Dots embossing folder and some strips of Christmas papers. I've coloured the image with promarkers, added gold Stickles to the jingly bells on the image and liquid pearls around the edge of the card. With a little help from my 2yo the dots aren't perfect but I just didn't have time to start again! Please dont hold that against me!

Here is the sketch - I have turned it on its side and added a sentiment.

Thanks for looking! Come and join us at the Crafting by Designs challenge this week for a chance to win images from Rick St Dennis!

Mo xxx

Rick St Dennis Sponsoring the Crafters Cafe Challenge Blog!

Hi folks, today's post is for the Crafters Cafe Challenge Blog and what a thrill, this week we are sponsored by the fabulous Rick St Dennis. The theme this week is 'You can never have too many embellishements'! This was a challenge for me, my style has always been very plain and simple and I find it hard to load on the embellies without the card looking like a riot!

I was working with the Creepmas Dark Angel Sauvage image and have made a 6x6 square card. I used Kaisercraft papers and an embossing folder to emboss some clocks onto the pearlescent black card to match the paper. I have added a black web type lace behind the image and some black lace ribbon down the left side of her. I've then layered up paper flowers with buttons, mulberry paper roses in purple and black, a seam binding bow and some black and crystal head pins. There are self adhesive black pearls in the corners also.

The image is coloured using promarkers and layered on black pearl paper. And the sentiment is Craftwork Cards with some dusty concord distress ink to match.

Thanks for looking!
Hope you will join our heavily embellished challenge this week, see you there!
Mo xxx

Thanks(giving) at Love to Create

Morning folks, what a cold weekend! Hope today is a wee bitty warmer! Today is all about 'Thanks' at Love to Create, whether it's a personal thank you or a 'thanksgiving' celebration, come and share your creations with us! Come on over and check out the Design Team's inspiration and see what our lovely sponsors are giving you the chance to win!

My card today uses an Image from Beccy's Place and I have used the Rag Doll with Love. I have coloured her with Promarkers, fussy cut her and mounted her within a Sizzix frame die in a purple pearlscent paper. The background papers are from an Autumn pad I bought at the supermarket Lidl a few months ago! And I have added a Craftwork Cards sentiment coloured with Dusty Concord distress Ink and some purple fibres.

Thanks for popping by for a look today, enjoy your week!
Mo xxx

Ike's Art at Left of Centre

Well, it's the end of the first week of November already and it's getting so cold! My wee fingers are numb trying to type...must find a heavy cardi! Onto the task at hand though! Today is the start of a new challenge at Left of Centre and our theme for this fortnight is Washi Tape or Twine! So a very broad theme no restrictions and of course if you dont want to use washi tape or twine on your project, just make sure it falls left of centre to still be included in the prize draw. Our sponsor this time is Ike's Art and you could win digital images from this fabulous artist.

I had the chance to work with her 'Alice' image which is her take on the eponymous heroine from Alice in Wonderland and, like my last Alice project, this one's been Gothed up too!!! I have gone with a red and black theme to match the only roll of washi tape that I own (see what i did there!?). I used my Couture Creations 'Tea Party' embossing folder on a peice of white card, coloured it with Fired Brick Distress Ink and highlighted some of the elements with Star Dust Stickles. This was attached to the card and then washi tape used as if holding it in place. I added rolled roses and a couple of Craftwork Cards sentiments that were also coloured to match. The image is coloured with promarkers and a White Signo Uniball for highlights, fussy cut and layered onto black pearlescent paper.

Why not join us at Left of Centre this week with your washi tape/twine/LOC creations! We would love to see what you come up with!
thanks for looking!
Mo xxx

Smeared Ink Stamps at Crafting By Designs!

Oh we have a fabulous challenge for you this week at Crafting by Designs! This is an Anything Goes challenge and we have Smeared Ink as our sponsor so I got to play with a great wee Gear Heart image with wings! And, after talking to a couple of friends during the week about keeping paper that is too good to cut into, I finally got the courage to use the Graphic 45 Steampunk Spells papers that I've been drooling over for many weeks now!

So, with the stamp, I printed and coloured it twice, layering it up with 3D foam to make an embellishment for the card, rather than as a central image. I cut and layered paper and images from both the 6x6 and 8x8 paper pads using black pearlescent paper matts. And I finished the card with a large black floppy bow.

A simple design, I didn't want to overdo it. The image is coloured as always with my promarkers and as the lovely Andrea and Karen both said, the papers look much better on a project than in the pad!

I will enter this in the following challenges -
Creative Fingers Challenge Blog - Anything Goes/Emo/Goth
My Craft Creations - Anything Goes
Card Mania - Anything Goes
Craft-Dee Bowz - Anything Goes with a handmade bow
Lady Anne's Challenge - More than One Layer
Make it Monday - Anything Goes


I really hope you will join us this week for Anything Goes and you might just be lucky enough to get your hands on some fabulous Smeared Ink prizes!
Thanks for looking!
Mo xxx

I Love to Create for Love to Create!

Good Monday Morning to you all! Hope you all had a fabulous weekend. Today is my daughter's 8th birthday - Happy Birthday Sariah!!!

A few weeks back, I received an email from the lovely Jackie Randolph at Love to Create challenge blog. I had entered a few of their challenges and won some digi stamps, but she also had a proposition for me! She asked if I would like to join her design team - of course, I jumped at the chance to work with such a talented bunch of lovely ladies and today is my first project for the Love to Create Challenge.....

And it was a challenge! We have a colour challenge for you today - using autumnal tones from the following image. These are not colours I would normally work with, I didn't even have enough blues or yellows to be able to colour the image from our sponsor Bugaboo Stamps! So, I turned to digital creating!

I coloured the image called Girlz Jeans using GIMP software (this is a free program!) and then combined the image with papers and elements using My Memories Suite. A big thank you to Kapree for introducing me to these tools!

This is only the second project I've created digitally and it will never take the place of actually sitting and cutting and tearing and creating with papers and embellishments but I think once I find my way around, this makes a wee change - and I've learned how to do a watermark!

Thanks for looking! I hope you'll join our challenge this week!
Mo xxx

A Penguin challenge at Crafting By Designs

Time for a new challenge at Crafting by Designs and this week we are all about the Penguins! We have a fabulous sponsor: Teri at Delicious Doodles has let us work with some gorgeous Penguin images and you could win some images by joining the challenge!

I have used the Penguin with Gifts image and made a 6x6" card. The image is coloured with promarkers and some platinum stickles on the presents. It is matted on some white core core'dinations card that has been embossed with the Swiss Dots folder and layerd up with some Hot Off the Press papers. The swirl is from Die-namics and the sentiment from Craftwork Cards.

Thanks for looking! I hope you will join the challenge this week!
Mo xxx

Favourite Colour Challenge at Just For Fun....

You know what that means.. PURPLE!!!

Yeah, my favourite colour is purple and I have made a birthday card for the Just For Fun Challenge Blog using some stunning papers from the Craftwork Cards Time Flies Collection. This is a large 8x8" card and I have actually given it to my friend for her 50th birthday.

The front of the card was covered with a book print type paper which was spritzed with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Fully Purple. Another of the papers was torn and used in the two corners and all the edges inked with Dusty Concord Distress Ink from Tim Holtz at Ranger. 

I used a spellbinders Fluer de Lis square to cut a mat of the cog patterned paper for the die cut and layered butterfly to sit upon. Again this was inked with dusty concord. I added one of the die cut sentiments, a purple bow and some paper flowers. The corners also have a purple pearlescent flourish cut using a die-namics die.

The front was finished with some Purple Stickles around the sentiment and butterfly wings and Star Dust Stickles on the flowers and butterfly body.

I also added some torn paper, a sentiment and die cut label to the inside... .along with yet more dusty concord!

I hope you will join us and show us your favourite colour creations at Just For Fun this month!
thanks for looking!
Mo xxx

Anything Goes at Craft Mojo Challenge Blog this month!

Hope you all had a great Halloween!! November time now and getting so close to Christmas! Anyway, before all that, it's time for a new challenge at Craft Mojo. This month the theme is Anything Goes!

I have gone for something a bit different for me this month and created a black and silver card with lots of layering, corrugated stars and a blingy bow. I also dug out the Cricut and cut the name and number using the Cricut Craft Room software and craftroom basics files.

Everything was layered up on the 8x8" card base and hot glue used to attach the diamantes to the bow.

This was made for a friend to give another friend on her birthday recently, hope they both liked the card!

Thanks for looking, hope you will join us for Anything Goes this month at Craft Mojo!
Mo xxx