2 Sketches 4 You - Week 29

Hi everyone, another sweltering day predicted, I think I almost melted yesterday it was so humid which I really don't like, hope you're all surviving if your weather is the same. A card today for 2 Sketches 4 You and a great sketch by Laura which I really enjoyed. As usual if I don't print out the sketch and try to do it from memory I usually get it wrong and in this case I've realised afterwards that I should have had a scallop edged strip and mine is plain! Hopefully it'll be ok.

I've stamped a BasicGrey ladybird from the dragonfly set by inking with distress ink directly onto the stamp with a brush and then going over it a bit afterwards, it's also been glittered with Stickles. After the stamping I embossed a frame around it using a square nestie and mounted mustard bazzil bling and black bazzil card. These layers were repeated adding some lovely red spotted paper from BG June Bug collection. The sentiment is from an Elzybells set and I've added a paper bow made from more of the June Bug paper. Everything is layered onto a white Papermania card blank and the image panel is raised with dimension tape. TFL. Chris x

Copic Creations - Challenge 6 Wood

Hi everyone, hope you're all making the most of the glorious weather we're having here. A card today for the Copic Creations Challenge where this week the theme is 'Wood'. I really enjoyed the challenge and there are lots of tips on the blog on how to achieve the effect, plus it's packed with many links and colouring info so thanks ladies for a good challenge. This is the first time I've tried to do a wood effect for a piece of furniture, I thought this cute Alota Rubber Stamps image would be a good one to give it a try and I'm fairly pleased with how it came out in some areas more than others and it's great to have learned a new way to colour it. A simple card apart from the colouring which took a while, some Kraft card sponged with vintage photo distress ink and a piece of doodlebug patterned paper. I've faux stitched around the layers with a white gel pen, added a papermania stamped sentiment and some stickles. Have a good Sunday. TFL. Chris x

Just Magnolia week 11 - Sketch

Hi everyone, hope your weekend is off to a good start and if you don't like yellow, avert your eyes now :D ! A card today for Just Magnolia which I was happy to do as I've missed the last two. There's a great sketch this week designed by Bev which I really enjoyed, thanks Bev. I've used the sweet 'Picking Lilacs' Tilda, I love her plaits! She's coloured with markers and glittered a bit here and there then cut out. The background paper is by Imaginisce and has little dots of glitter all over it in the flower centres but I didn't manage to capture that in the photo. My circle element of the sketch is cut from two nesties one inside the other to make the frame which I stamped with a swirl stamp and dusty concorde distress ink then embossed with CB swiss dots folder. The border is cut with a Fiskers Apron Lace punch. Another nestie, the labels die again was used to cut the sentiment tag which I stamped with a Papermania sentiment and went over with a purple glitter gel pen. I added some Prima flowers with pearl centres, EK Success cut leaves and a few more pearls to finish. TFL. Chris x

Dare U 2 Digi Stamp Challenge 13 - Kim's Sketch

Hi everyone, a card today for Dare U 2 Digi Stamp Challenge 13 which this week is to follow a great sketch designed by Kim, thanks Kim, I really enjoyed working with your sketch. Hope you can join us this week and there's some great inspiration from my design team friends to get you started on the blog.

I've used my new 'Butterfly Fairy' image which will be available soon in the digi shop and coloured her with pencils, partially cut her out around the wings and layered her on BasicGrey Scarlett's Letter paper and cream card mounted with dimension tape. The other layers are the same paper and card which have all been sponged around the edges with black distress ink and placed according to the sketch which I've tweaked slightly to make a long shaped card. The sentiment tag is cut with nestie tag dies which I just managed to get from Dies to Die for (thanks as always Tracy for the top service). I've added Doodlebug rub on letters and some gems to the tag. The little butterflies are punched from the same BG paper and I've added ribbon, some more black gems and stickles glitter glue to the image to finish. Nearly the weekend, have a good Friday. TFL. Chris x

Colour Create Challenge 21

Hi everyone, hope you're all having a good week so far. It's challenge 21 at Colour Create and a lovely colour combo chosen by Juliet which I love of Pistachio Green, Aqua and Powder Pink, thanks Juliet, I really enjoyed this pretty combination. The option this week is buttons, but not compulsory of course. Hope you can join us for this lovely combo and there's some fantastic inspiration from my DT friends, I think we all loved this gorgeous palette of colours.

I've chosen a pretty dress stamp by Inkadinkado which is coloured with pencils and then glittered over with Star Dust Stickles. I've cut off one corner of the image and placed over a pink flower cut from Core'dinations card which has been sanded and glittered. The other layers of card have all had their edges distressed and the last but one layer is punched a Martha punch, 'simple scallop'. I've added various little buttons one of which is threaded with some green tulle and Papermania sentiment. TFL. Chris x

Morning everyone, here's another card with my icecream girl stamp for Kadoodle, this time I've made a cute little flower pot card which I found in blogland, a very kind lady had uploaded the directions to make it, I can't at the moment find the blog to give you the dimensions but as soon as I do I'll update this post or if anyone in the meantime knows her blog if you could let me know. I think this was also posted on SCS as one of their technique challenges. Thank you anyway for the inspiration, your design is gorgeous, I'll definitely be making more of these, they're so easy and a bit different. Apart from all that I watercoloured my girlie with distress inks, cut her out and attached to the base which after folding I embossed with a CB folder, sanded, tied closed with the ribbon and added the sentiment. The insert card is decorated with flowers and just pops into the flower pot at the top. The whole card is held together simply with the ribbon. TFL. Chris x

Kadoodle Off to the beach

Hi everyone, hope you're having a good weekend. A card today with one of the my new stamp designs for Kadoodle 'off to the beach' which is available from the Craft Barn and she's been stamped with versafine vintage sepia ink then water coloured with distress inks and cut out. The card base is made from a big circle cut in half and then folded in half with punched circles attached at the outer edges to create the scallops. I've also used Nesties labels two to cut the shape from the paper and another cut from white foam sheet. Sentiment is also cut from the paper by Delish designs with a Go Kreate die and I've added sheer ribbon, prima flowers, paper roses and stickles glitter glue to decorate. TFL. Chris x

Colour Create Challenge 20

Hi everyone, Thursday and time for another Colour Create challenge! This week there's a lovely fruity colour combo for you and your choice to pick three colours from Strawberry, Raspberry, Kiwi, Tangerine and Blackberry with the option of incorporating fruits into your image, patterned paper, embellishments and or sentiment. Hope you can join us this week as there's some great inspiration from the design team to get you started.

I've chosen Blackberry, Raspberry and Kiwi for my combination and used a Penny Black silhouette fruity stamp which I inked with distress inks using a paint brush and then stamped onto water colour paper. The image is matted with Core'dinations card and I've punched some flowers from the same card and arranged around the bottom of the black card blank. Added a ribbin, rub on sentiment, gems to the flower centres and doodled dots with a pink sparkle gel pen to finish. TFL. Chris x

Kadoodle Puppet Show

Hi everyone, hope you're week is going well. My card today is using one of my new Kadoodle stamps 'Puppet Show' which is available online at the Craft Barn. I've stamped the image on water colour paper and then coloured with distress inks. The black card layers are Core'dinations card which I've distressed around the edges and the cream piece is also Core'dinations from the Whitewashed range. This piece has been embossed with a CB swirls die and then sanded. Added some ribbon to finish and mounted the image panel on dimension tape. Chris x

Sketch Saturday - Sketch # 55

Hi everyone, hope you're off to a good start with the weekend. A card today for Sketch Saturday GDT spot and another wonderful sketch to work with. Thank you ladies for having me on the team for the two weeks, I've really enjoyed it. The image is by my friend Sandra and his her digi image 'Daddy and little one', such a sweet image for Father's day. You may be wondering about the pea green baby suit? Well the green is in the BasicGrey Boxer background paper but that green just kept getting greener and greener :D. I've used kraft coloured card for the blank and other layers in line with the sketch which have been distressed, sponged and then doodled with black and white pens. All the layers are mounted with dimension tape. The image is marker and pencil coloured and the sentiment an outlined rub on. Enjoy your Saturday. Chris x

Dare U 2 Digi Stamp Challenge 11 - Chocolate Orange

Hi everyone, and a card today for Dare U 2 Digi Stamp where this week the challenge is a colour theme of Chocolate and Orange. There's some great inspiration for these colours from the design team so I hope you can join us this week.

I would probably give this card to my maiden aunt if I had one and as I don't it's probably going in the bin!!! So very briefly I used the arum lilies digi image which I coloured with pencils and cut out, it's all layered over coredinations brown card, sanded and inked with distress ink. The paper is MME bloom and grow and I've added some orange voile, a papermania sentiment, flowers and pearls to finish. TFL. Chris x

Colour Create Challenge 19

Hi everyone, Colour Create Challenge day and this week there's a lovely combination of blush pink, lilac and mossy green with an option of die cuts chosen by the lovely and very talented Georgia (Tara's DD), thank you Georgia, I loved your choice, such gorgeous colours and theme. This week we welcome a new team member, the lovely Dena who makes the most beautiful cards, great to have you on the team with us Dena, I've admired your cards for a while now after finding your blog from the challenges, I hope you enjoy yourself.

I seem to have a very rubbish photograph of this card, one of those I just couldn't get right, probably because the card blank is frosted acetate which doesn't help but is pretty IRL and came from my win of the Cuttlebug Challenge and the sheetloads acetate pack which is gorgeous. I glimmer misted the card blank with Lavender Fields first to try and give an impression of rain or water so it's got a nice soft shimmer. The big flower is a Cricut die cut in lilac coredinations card which is also glimmer misted, sanded and then glittered around the edges with the addition of the rub on sentiment. This sweet umberella Anya that I got from Tabbycrafts (thank you for the fantastic fast service Tab, much appreciated) is coloured with markers and pencils and then cut out and attached over the panel of green card which is border punched on both edges. The ribbon is wound round the back of the panel, threaded through the hole in the flower and tied, this is then mounted with dimension tape and the Anya mounted on glue gel on top of that. I've dotted lots of stickles around the card for raindrops, all round the edges too and finished off with some pink pearls.

I'd be interested to know if anyone else is having a really bad time with blogger at the moment? I can no longer moderate my comments in the normal way from the dashboard screen, having to have them emailed and I can't move anything around in my sidebars either. Visiting blogs hasn't been easy I keep getting a flicking screen to the sign in and then off again! TFL. See you tomorrow with my DU card. Chris x

Just Magnolia Challenge 8 - Sketch

Hi everyone, hope you've all had a good weekend. I had a fantastic time demonstrating at the Craft Barn's Extravaganza all day Saturday and Sunday and meeting lots of lovely people and also some blogging friends which made the weekend even more special (hello to Barbara, I know you're out there! :D).

This week on Just Magnolia there's a great sketch by Rach, thanks Rach, I love your sketch, really enjoyed working with it and will definitely use it again. I've stamped this sweet little cherry Tilda image which I've coloured with markers and then cut out. The background paper is 'Cherry Amore' by Doodlebug which is so pretty that I didn't want to hide any of it with the circles so I cut the circle element from red Bazzil card with my scalloped and plain nesties one inside the other to create the frame (the smaller circle is off centre so that I had room to put in the eyelet). I threaded some Bazzil tulle through the eyelet and round the back and tied a bow at the side. I shaped the image a bit with my fingers and attached to the card with gel glue, did some faux stitching with a white gel pen then added some Stickles and a rub on sentiment to finish. TFL. Chris x

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Bling

Hi everyone, hope you're having a good weekend and a bit of sun amongst the rain! The challenge this week at Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge is bling and I'm entering this little gift bag that I made which has lots of glitter, so I'm hoping that counts as bling. The bag is closed by some nestie die cuts cut with Labels One and Scalloped oval folded in half and glued over the top. I made a label using one of my new Kadoodle stamps and she's been coloured with distress inks, glittered and sponged around the edges. The label is attached by punching a hole at the top and threading through some ribbon and a brad. TFL. Chris x

Sketch Saturday - Sketch # 54

Hi everyone, hope your weekend is off to a good start. A card today for Sketch Saturday and a special one for me as it's my friend Sandra's fortnight to pick a guest designer for the team and she asked me :) . Of course I said yes immediately and was so pleased that she asked me, thanks buddy and I hope I make the grade as I know there's a wealth of talent on the Sketch Saturday team. There's a wonderful sketch to follow this week from Mandy and I really enjoyed it.

I've used one of my new Kadoodle stamp designs which is being launched today at the Craft Barn Extravaganza. The image is watercoloured with distress ink and then I've rounded off the corners in line with the sketch and added some stickles for a bit of sparkle. The pretty paper is by Delish Designs and I've distressed all round the edges, done some piercing and faux stitching and made a little tage attached with a eyelet. Added some buttons, sentiment and some raffia to finish. TFL. Chris x

The Craft Barn Extravaganza Weekend - New Kadoodle Stamps

Hi everyone, new Kadoodle stamps are being launched tomorrow at the Craft Barn Extravaganza and I'm very much looking forward to demonstrating them with watercolour using Ranger Distress inks alongside my friend Sandra who is also launching gorgeous new stamps and all the other talented demonstrators who'll be attending. So if you're in the area we'd love the chance to see you there. Chris x

From the Craft Barn Blog:

I thought you might like to have an idea of the kinds of things you will be able to see at the Extravaganza weekend. We can’t describe all of techniques as there are just so many plus some of them are brand new and we haven’t seen them ourselves yet! One things is for sure, there is something for everyone and whether you are just starting out or are an experienced crafter we are sure you will be inspired and pick up great tips & techniques! So here goes with a little taster……

• Carole Cann will be showing you projects using Ten Second Studio Metal products. Over the course of the weekend she will be using lots of metal, a little Cuttlebug and Go Kreate, a smattering of Elusive Images, a dash of dabbers and a smidgen of peel offs to create amazing samples.
• Kay Carley will be working with her lovely brand new stamps , which are being released any day now. She will be colouring them with Copic pens and Coloursoft pencils.
• Carol Cockbain – On Saturday she will be using Dreamweaver stencils creating projects with the new Crackle Paste, metal leaf and glitter and her favourite Tattered Angels Glimmer Mists. On Sunday she will be demoing her own beautiful flower stamps which she has designed for Kadoodle, she will being combining them with distress and inks as well as a new technique she has been working on with Glimmer Mists and watercolour paper
• Jane Collman – will be working with the Copic Pens both days and she will show you how to get the most out of both the pens and the airbrush system. Learn why some stamps work better than others, why she recommends certain inks and papers for use with the pens
• Christine Dark- has some fab new stamps released for this weekend with a distinctly summer feel. These stamps will transport you back to childhood and days on the beach. She will be showing you how to use Distress Inks to stamps and colour.
• Sandra Dry - has also been busy designing her new stamps she has added a couple more of our larger ladies and a couple more of her very cute Loupy Lou designs. Sandra is a real whizz with the Coloursoft pencils and will be sharing all her tips with you.
• Leandra Franich – Leandra has some truly wow new Paper Artsy stamps out which work really well with Metal. She will be showing you lots of lovely techniques to get the most out of the stamps and will be dipping into some of the Ten Second Studio and new Viva Décor products as well as a smattering of Glimmer mists and one or two surprises.
• Jayne Harvey – Jayne will be working with her cute Stamposaurus stamps combined with shrink plastic, Fun flock and Sakura pens. If you think pens are just for writing then Jayne will show you the light and as for the fun flock….touchy feely to a whole new level!
• Paul H from Go Kreate will be bringing us some brand new Boo outfits as well as never seen before dies and they are going to be very popular including a new alphabet called Lingfield – how cool is that!
• Julie Hickey is demoing the latest releases from Craftwork Cards they are lovely and summery and her samples are inspirational, gorgeous and achievable as always. She also has a little treat for people visiting her while they last so check it out!
• Beatrice Neumeister – Beatrice has brought out three new stamp plates recently Dans Ma Maison, Nature and the newest one Paris Monuments and she has some wonderful projects and techniques to share with you. If you like techniques Beatrice is your girl!
• Paula Pascual – will be showing you the wonderful new Slice machine this weekend – find out why we all love this little beauty! She will also be sneaking in a bit of time with the new Making Memories Tag Maker gadget, which is a really nifty way to create your own metal rimmed tags
• Christine Quincy – Definitely loves Crafty Individuals stamps so she has picked a few of her very favourites to show you what they can do. She will be working bringing her own flair and imagination using a variety of inks
• Lindsay Mason will be working with Personal Impressions latest clear stamps that she designed and as always she has a few tricks up her sleeve including some new boxes she has been working on
• Jenny Mayes will be showing you her latest floral and Scene-its stamp releases. Jenny always manages a master class in watercolour whenever she demos and I defy you not to be mesmerized!
• Francoise Read is using herclear stamps and peel offs from Woodware combined with Inktense pencils. Francoise comes up trumps every time and will inspire you with her samples and demos
• Sue Roddis – Sue has a great altered project to share with you and she will be usingElusive Images stamps to show you how you can achieve quirky and fun projects by thinking outside the box! Look out for what she has done to some of our boxes and items for altering
• Carol Staples – when Carol isn’t running workshops she will be working with her own Ma and Pa Iggly stamps as well as afew others all combined with the Go Kreate nesting frames and a range of paints, inkpads and pens!
• Lexie Wilson - between workshops Lexie will be working with the Little Claire designs. Bring your sunglasses and expect glitter and bright colours!

Remember the demonstrations are FREE and run continuously throughout both days with the demonstrators based all together in the Community Centre in Lingfield, just around the corner from The Craft Barn shop. If you have never been before, Sunday is usually a bit less busy than Saturday but the atmosphere on Saturday is just incredible.

Dare U 2 Digi Stamp Challenge 10 - Ribbons

Hi everyone, hope you've all had a good week, it's nearly the weekend and also time for another Dare U 2 Digi Stamp challenge. This week our dare is ribbons and there's some fantastic inspiration from my DT friends with lovely ideas for using them, I hope you can join us this week. 

I've used my perfume bottles digi stamp which is now available in the shop (link at the top of sidebar). The colouring is done with pencils and I've added some stickles for a bit of sparkle. The background paper is Penny Black, white with gold embossed flowers, it's very pretty and I've managed to hoard it for a very long time so it's about time it was used.  The card blank and mats are pearlescent gold card and I've added the two pink ribbons and a Prima flower with a bead cup (thank you Bev) and pearl to finish. Oh, the sentiment is Papermania. TFL. Chris x

Colour Create Challenge 18 - Rainbow Colours

Hi everyone, the new day of the week for Colour Create challenge  is now Thursday and here we are on Challenge 18, I can't believe how quick the weeks are going by. This week we have a great colour combo of Rainbow colours with an option of create a scene. Hope you can join us and when you pop over to the challenge you'll find some fantastic inspiration from my DT friends, I loved them all. Sadly Judy is leaving us this week, I'll miss you Judy and seeing your gorgeous cards on CC each week, I hope that you'll come back some time when you're able to but will see you in blogland. It's also a hello today to our new member Di who makes beautiful cards that I've admired since I found her blog, hope you enjoy yourself Di and it's great to have in the team with us.

I've made my little scene with stamps from a Penny Black Teddies clear stamps set. I used a big stamping block and placed the stamps around it then stamped them all at once. I did the colouring with markers and pencils, doodled in some grass and pink flowers and sponged the edges with black. The image is matted on bright green coredinations card which I've punched with a zig zag MS punch. There weren't going to be any flowers on this card originally, just the scene and a sentiment, I dropped the ink pad, so in the words of the band 10cc, "they hide a nasty stain that's lying there" :D TFL and see you tomorrow with my DU card. Chris x

Just Magnolia week 7 and Copic Creations Challenge 4

Hi everyone, hope you've all had a great weekend and enjoyed some of the wonderful weather that we've been lucky enough to have down here on the south coast. A card today for Just Magnolia Week 7 and a theme of animals and insects and also for Copic Creations Challenge 4 where the them is blonde hair. Thank you ladies on both challenges for the wonderful inspiration as always. I've used the gorgeous Butterfly Tilda, I know I keep saying it but I do love this Magnolia set they're so pretty. I've coloured her with markers and added some stickles to wings and a sentiment to the top right then mounted the image with dimension tape. The  background paper is by K&Co and this has been layered with doily punched piece of blue coredinations card and sheer green ribbon. I punched a cornflower from the patterned paper and curved it about then made a hole to add the little butterfly charm held in with a brad. I used some glue gel to mount these. I also added a slight curve to the doily punched edge, it seems to look a bit better like this than just flat to the base. TFL. Chris x