Handmade by Maureen - A Blog: July 2014

Thanks for looking!
Mo xxx

Wednesday, 23 July 2014

Rick St Dennis at Crafting By Designs

I am delighted to be hosting the new challenge this week at Crafting By Designs! We have the amazing Rick St Dennis as a sponsor this week and I have chosen the theme of 'Hats'. Now this doesn't mean you have to make a hat... although you could if you wanted! Rick has some fabulous images of ladies in hats from decades gone by and I thought it would be great to see the team use some of those hatted ladies.

I have used one of Rick's images that I won from I Brake for Stamps last year through a Blog Hop Competition. She is called Wicked Wanda and I have coloured her with Promarkers in colours to match the Graphic 4 Steampunk Spells papers which I thought would be fabulous with her! The 'Something Wicked this way Comes' motif is cut from one of the 8x8 papers. I have used black pearlescent paper for layering and matt black card for die cutting. The bats are from my stash. The Scaredy Cat and Weather Clock are both Tim Holtz for Sizzix Alterations.

I will enter this card in the following challenges:

Thanks for looking!
Mo xxx

Monday, 21 July 2014

Challenge #125 at Love to Create

Bright and Sunny is the theme for this week's challenge at Love to Create! Our sponsor is StampArt by Kathryne and I have used her fabulous mermaid image for my creation. I have coloured her as always using Promarkers. My background papers are from the Boho Chic stack from First Edition and the green layered card is Core'dinations. The Sentiment is from Craftwork Cards and the ribbon to finish is from my stash. I hope you can join us this week!

Thanks for looking!
Mo xxx

The East Wind Facebook Contest - Humour

Today sees the start of a brand new Facebook Contest at The East Wind facebook group! The theme for this is 'Humour' and we want to see your funny side shine through! I have made a card using Lucy Loo.

I have coloured the image using Promarkers and used a mustache pun for the sentiment! The papers are Dovecraft Curiosity Corner papers and I have inked the edges with 'Old Paper' Distress Ink. I've finished the card with a seam binding bow.

I will enter this in the following challenges:

Here are the links you need -

Thanks for looking!

Mo xxx

Friday, 18 July 2014

Monochrome at Left of Center

Welcome to my DT inspiration post for Left of Center! We have a new challenge starting today and the theme is 'Monochrome'. Our fabulous sponsor this week is 'Just Some Lines' and I had a lot of fun playing with this image entitled 'The Eater'.

I have coloured her with promarkers and used papers from Echo Park's Chillingsworth Manor 6x6 pad. I have used a Tim Holtz distress tool to rough up the edges of the papers and finished the card with green metallic sticky dots and ribbon. I will add a sentiment later when this has a recipient!

I will enter this in the following challenges:
Fairytale Challenge - #96 DigiStamp super challenge
Sister Act Card Challenge - #66 Anything Goes
Crafty Girls Challenge - #22 Anything Goes
Charisma Cardz Challenge - #15 Anything Goes

Thanks for looking!
Mo xxx

Skeletons and Secrets at PunkyouGirl

The PunkyouGirl challenge for July is 'Skeletons and Secrets' and I am here today with my midway project for the challenge! I have used an image from Rick St Dennis which you can find in his Zibbet Shop here! The image is called 'Smilin Joe Skull with Roses' and I have coloured him with Promarkers.

I created the background for the card using background stamps from the Smeared Ink 'Quoth the Raven' set, these were stamped in Versamark and heat embossed with clear powder. I then covered the card with Fired Brick, Faded Jeans, Vintage Photo and Black Soot distress inks creating a resist effect with the stamps.

I have added two Spellbinders die cut spiders. The top border is the 'Twigs' On the Edge die and the bottom border is the 'Graveyard' On the Edge die both from Tim Holtz for Sizzix. The card is finished with a black ribbon.

I will enter this in the following challenges:
Fairytale Challenge - #96 DigiStamp super challenge
Sister Act Card Challenge - #66 Anything Goes
Charisma Cardz Challenge - #15 Anything Goes

Thanks for looking!
Mo xxx

New Lucy Loo 'Professor Loo' at The East Wind

Well, you know how much I love the Lucy Loo images at The East Wind and I'll thrilled that yet another is being released today! Meet 'Professor Loo'!

I have coloured her with Promarkers and mounted her on blue pearlescent paper.The background paper is some old Hot Off The Press Sarabook Sapphire Papers that I've had forever! The sentiment is printed from Ginger's House - this is one of my very favourite's by Ginger, I love her witty humourous words and layouts! - and layered on the same blue pearlescent paper.

I will enter this in the following challenges:
Art by MiRan - #10 Anything Goes
Fussy and Fancy Challenge - #118 All About the Girls
Sister Act Card Challenge - #66 Anything Goes
Crafty Girls Challenge - #22 Anything Goes
As You Like It - Favourite Sentiment

Here are the links you need -

Thanks for looking!
Mo xxx

Wednesday, 16 July 2014

Challenge #6 - A Step in the Dark - Anything Goes/Use Metal

Welcome to another challenge at A Step in the Dark! The theme this time is Anything Goes or 'Use a bit of Metal'. I'm delighted to be showing you a card today made with an image from Ike's Art - our sponsor! This is a special image to me as a very dear friend won it but arranged with the artist to have it gifted to me instead of her! This is Robot 1 and I have coloured her with Promarkers as always! The patterned paper is from Prima and I've layered it with black pearlescent paper and finished the card with silver Candi. The embossed part is aluminium plumbers tape over card. This was embossed with a Tim Holtz Sizzix embossing folder and then some Adirondak Alcohol inks rubbed into it - Lettuce, Aubergine and Meadow.

Thanks for looking and I hope you can join us!
Mo xxx

Use a Sentiment at Crafting by Designs

Welcome to another challenge at Crafting by Designs - this week we want you to use a sentiment! We are sponsored by Oak Pond Creations so you could win a prize from them!

I have used Lucy Loo 'Heart Lips' from The East Wind to make my sentiment card today and the sentiment itself is from Gingers House. I have coloured her with Promarkers and used Vintage Boho papers from Craftwork Cards edged with Peacock Feathers distress Ink. The turquoise card is coredinations and I've finished with some teal seam binding ribbon in a triple bow!

I will enter this in the following challenges:

Thanks for looking!
Mo xxx

Tuesday, 15 July 2014

The East Wind Challenge #10 - It's Getting Hot!!!

We have a fabulously summery challenge starting today at The East Wind - 'It's Getting Hot' is your theme and I cant wait to see how you interpret this! Here is mine!!!

I have used the Ghetto Fabulous Ashley 'I Love my Life' image available at The East Wind Etsy store and coloured her with Promarkers. I have used papers from the Fancy Pants Beach Babe paper pad and a sentiment from Craftwork Cards. Some 'Salty Ocean' Distress Ink is used to edge the image, mount and sentiment. The flourish die is from Cheery Lynn and the flowers are from the XCut Petal Posy dies. Some orange and silver Candi finishes the middle of the flowers.

I will enter this card in the following challenges:

Here are the links you need -

Thanks for looking!
Mo xxx

Monday, 14 July 2014

Challenge #124 at Love to Create

Sassy Studio Designs are our sponsor this week at Love to Create. Our theme is 'Pearls & Petals' and I am excited to see what you do with this theme!

I have used the Sassy Elvira image and coloured her with promarkers. She is mounted on purple pearlescent paper and a polka dot paper from my stash. I have used several dies with black pearlescent paper and the same dotty paper - Cheery Lynn Fanciful Flourish, Marianne Designs Chinese Rose and a Sizzix border die. To finish I have added a sentiment from Craftwork Cards, a white pearl spray and some black self adhesive pearls.

I will enter this card in the following challenges:

Thanks for looking!
Mo xxx

Lucy Loo Hocus Pocus!

There's a brand new fabulous Lucy Loo image being released today at The East Wind! I really hope you love it as much as I do! She is called 'Hocus Pocus' and I have coloured her with Promarkers.

I have used papers and elements from the Graphic 45 Steampunk Spells papers to create a 6x6 wall hanging from a chipboard album page - the binding holes make a great place to thread ribbon for hanging!

I finished using some flowers from my stash. The large one was ivory, this was sprayed with orange Dylusions and Black Cherry Tattered Angels Mica spray. All the flowers were given a coating of sparkly Iridescent Wink of Stella for a shiny sparkle.

I will enter this in the following challenges:
Anything But a Card - #37 Anything Goes
Glitter n Sparkle - #93 Anything Goes
The Squirrel and the Fox - #73 Ribbon and Lace
Crafting at the Weekend - #3 Anything Goes
Digi Galore - Anything Goes
Pumpkin Spice - #78 Anything Goes
Time 4 Scrap - #43 Anything Goes

Here are the links you need -

Thanks for looking!
Mo xxx

Saturday, 12 July 2014

Water Everywhere at Open-Minded Crafting Fun Challenges

It's been a while since I posted on a Saturday! Hiya folks! But this will be a regular thing! Some of you might be aware that I recently joined the 'Open-Minded Crafting Fun Challenges' Design Team and today is my first post! We are on Challenge #14 - Water Water Everywhere and I really hope you will join us!

This fortnight our sponsors are -

Crafty Sentiment Designs

Delicious Doodles

Paper Pretties

Scribbles Designs

I have used the Steampunk Mermaid image from Delicious Doodles and coloured her with Promarkers. I coloured a 6x6 white card using Peacock Feathers, Salty Ocean and Broken China Distress inks to match the image colours. I edged both the card and image using Black Soot. The sentiment stamps are Paper Smooches stamped in Black Archival Ink. The bubbly background card has been in my stash for approximately 12 years - this is guess based on the fact that my son just turned 13!!! I've finished with some black card Candi from Craftwork Cards.

Thanks for looking!
Mo xxx

Friday, 11 July 2014

Not enough Middle Fingers!!!

I have a quick post to share tonight with an image from The East Wind that I was colouring today and found the perfect sketch to create a card with it. At first glance it looks like a cute card, muted colours and a flower.... but check out the sassy image and very sarky comment!!

The image is Lucy Loo 'Backpacker' and has been coloured with Promarkers. The papers are from First Edition - the Desert Blooms and Boho Chic pads. I have used X-Cut Petal Posy dies to create the layered flower and topped it with a card Candi. The card is finished with some twine. The sentiment is from Gingers House.

Here is the sketch.

I will enter this in the following challenges:Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2 - 9th July
Art by MiRan - #10 Anything Goes
Crafty Catz - Flowers
Sister Act Card Challenge - #65 Anything Goes

Here are the links you need -