Biker Love

Hi again, I'm trying to catch up with posting as I had a few days this week without internet. This card is for Papertake Weekly and a great sketch to follow by Dawny P. I really love this layout and the three background panels is a favourite style for me, I haven't used it before with the off centre image panel and really like it. I've used my Sketching Stamper Digi-Stamps image 'Biker Love' and coloured with promarkers. I was trying to get a slick feel for this card and have used gloss black card for the outer panels which I embossed with the CB distressed stripes folder, it doesn't show up too well but I was trying to get the effect of tyres too! The centre panel is dark pearlescent grey punched card. I punched some holes on the left and centre panels near the bottom, tried to add some orange eyelets and failed miserably, just can't get the hang of those things and so I haven't quite got the interest in that area now, ah well, one of these days I'll get the hang of the big bite but I am beginning to wonder if life's too short for me and the hole puncher of doom. I laced in the holes with some black cord added the ace of hearts charm and then threaded the rest of the cord through the grey card and over the edge at the other side for where the die cut letters rest to follow the sentiment strip part of the sketch. Added the orange gem to finish TFL.

Materials:
Image: Sketching Stamper Digi-stamps 'Biker Love'
Colouring: Promarkers in ice grey 2, 3, 4, aegean, royal blue, pastel yellow, gold, black
Card: Gloss black and turquoise A4 card from The Craft Barn. Pearlescent grey punched card, don't know the make I'm afraid.
Embellishment: Cuttlebug distressed stripes embossing folder, hole puncher of doom aka cropodile big bite, black cord from Hobbycraft, Go Create alphabet dies (Craft Barn), ace of hearts charm and orange gem from stash.

BasicGrey Challenge 20 - Sketch

Hi everyone, Saturday again and time for another BasicGrey challenge and some fantastic inspiration for this week from the DT, I hope you can join in.

..."This week we have another sketch for you to follow, you can resize and even flip the sketch but please make sure that the original sketch can be recognized easily in your creations, feel free to also add any other embellishments etc to your creations and of course not forgetting to use at least one item from BasicGrey".

I enjoyed working with this great sketch created by Martine, well I love all her sketches actually! I've used BG Bittersweet papers for my layers and Kraft card which has been edged with Ranger Distress ink and the piece under the image embossed and sponged with the ink. The image is my new stamp design for Kadoodle, 'Frilly Flowers' and is marker coloured and glazed with glossy accents and then stickles to give an enamal effect (hopefully)! I stamped the little row of hearts instead of a sentiment, outlined them with a clear gel pen and added stickles to the centres. To finish I pierced all around the edge of the card using a Tim Holtz piercing ruler and added a BasicGrey Boxer Brad.

I hope you're having a great weekend so far. TFL.
Chris

Materials:
Stamps: 'Frilly Flowers' Kadoodle available at The Craft Barn, Studio G clear stamp, row of hearts.
Paper/card: BasicGrey 'Bittersweet', Kraft card also from The Craft Barn
Colouring: Promarkers in pastel pink, vanilla, sandstone, raw sienna. Sponging with Ranger Distress Ink in Worn Lipstick
Embellishment: BasicGrey Boxer brad, Ranger Gossy Accents, Stickles glitter glue in Candy Cotton and Black, Tim Holtz Piercing Ruler, Edge Distresser, Cuttlebug Embossing Folder 'Paisley', Dimension Tape, Sakura clear gel pen, sponge

Daffodils

Hi everyone, a card today for A spoonfull of sugar where the challenge this week is 'Love is in the air' and for Cute Card Thursday with a challenge of 'Valentine's'. I've used one my new digi-stamps 'Daffodils' which is available at Sketching Stamper Digi-stamps and is one of eight images available from today. The image is marker coloured and mounted on coredinations card mounted on dimension tape. The background layer is yellow coredinations mounted on dimension tape which has been embossed with the CB and hearts folder and then sanded. All the edges are distressed and I've added stickles to the flowers, the ribbon, mini pearls and a yellow heart gem. TFL.

Materaials: Sketching Stamper Digi-stamp 'Daffodils, Promarkers ( in pastel yellow, mustard, gold, lemon, primrose, moss green, pastel yellow, pine, agean), yellow and dark aqual coredinations card, dark aqua canson card. Cuttlebug, hearts embossing folder. Yellow satin ribbon, yellow stickles, yellow heart gem, mini half pearls, edge distresser.

I've been given some fantastic awards this week, thank you so much ladies, they're very much appreciated but I've got myself so muddled with them and I hope you can excuse my not linking up properly, I really am rubbish at this, sorry.
















I was also tagged this week with the sixth folder, sixth photo tag, by Deifen, thank you Dei! The sixth folder contained number templates, not very interesting and so I've gone to the seventh which are garden photographs and this is one taken last year of my day lilies, I love these flowers.

A New Challenge coming soon!

A fantastic new weekly challenge is being launched next Sunday 1st February which has been set up by my lovely friend Tara at Happily Ever Crafting. I was absolutely thrilled to be asked by Tara to be on her design team with seven other ultra talented and lovely ladies who I'm very much looking forward to being team mates with. I love Tara's clever and very different idea for Colour Create which will be to give everyone a new colour palette to work with each week along with an optional theme. It's great too that this challenge can be combined with any others as it isn't going to be sponsored, there will however be candy every now and again and a new guest designer randomly chosen each week. I hope you can pop over and have a look, check out the blogs of the other wonderfully talented design team members and become a follower so that you'll always know when something is happening. There will be candy to celebrate the launch challenge and I hope to see you there!

Mini Love

Evening everyone, here's my card for Daring Cardmakers with a challenge of 'give it some heart', a valentine theme or a heart somewhere on the card and Papertake Weekly where the challenge is 'shape up' and there must be three shapes on your card. My hearts are the gems bottom right and in the paper and the three shapes are the square of patterned Petticoat heart paper, the strips of red card and again the heart gems. The image is my new 'Mini love' Sketching Stamper digi-stamp which is marker coloured and layered on red bazzil and grey pearlescent paper. The sentiment is Elzybells stamped in red colour box ink. I've used a silver metallic pen for the chrome areas on the mini and for the doodling on the number plate, added the three heart gems and the strips of bazzil card to finish. TFL. Back soon, Chris

Materials:
Image: Sketching Stamper digi-stamp 'Mini love'
Stamp: Elzybells
Paper/Card: Red canson for card blank, Pink Petticoat hearts free download, Red Bazzil, grey pearlescent paper
Colouring: Promarkders in red, ruby, ice grey 2, 3, 4, black, lemon, gold, silver metallic pen
Embellishment: Red heart gems from Sainsburys!!!

BasicGrey Challenge 19 - Recipe Challenge

Hi everyone, Saturday and time for another BasicGrey Challenge.
I hope you can join in, the DT have some incredibly beautiful cards for inspiration and there's a great prize too.

For this weeks challenge we would like you to follow a recipe, you can of course add more embellishments etc to your creations but please make sure to use all of the ingredients in the recipe on your creations, and of course not forgetting to use at least one item from BasicGrey

Ingredients

2 Patterned papers
1 Button
1 Ribbon and Bow
3 Brads

For my card this week I haven't used an image, I wanted to use the Granola papers which I think are gorgeous and I wanted to highlight the lovely flower pattern. All the layers are matted on black card and the edges distressed on the smaller panel. The sentiment is Penny Black stamped in Timber Brown Versafine ink, sponged with distress ink and mounted on dimension tape as is the flower paper panel. I added three small gold brads and gold ribbon to this panel and made the button from a punched out flower of white card and only because I wanted a gold button and didn't have one! It was fun to do and very quick and you can even see the dimension tape I mounted it with if you look closely LOL. ah well, too late now. I punched the four holes with a piercing tool and then double heat embossed with gold embossing powder. TFL. Back soon, Chris

Materials:
Paper and Card: BasicGrey Granola 6x6 pad, black canson card
Stamp: Penny Black, versafine timber brown ink
Embellishment: Doodlebug gold brads, scissors for distressing, dimension tape, wide gold ribbon, stampendous gold embossing powder, piercing tool, Ranger Distress ink: old paper, sponge

Sweet Peas

Hi everyone a card today for Stamp Something where this week the challenge is 'Birthday Somethings'. I think I may have made it for this challenge by the skin of my teeth, hope so anyway. I've used my 'Sweet Peas' image available at Sketching Stamper Digi-stamps and coloured with markers. When the image was dry I spritzed over it with pearl glimmer mist which is a lovely effect that my friend Kim showed on her blog and I thought looked so lovely, I've also done this to the flowers. Thanks for the inspiration Kim! The image is matted on purple Bazzil card that I've scalloped at the edge with my cutting blade and I've then threaded the thin ribbon through holes punched into the scallops. The background paper is Doodlebug and I've used some candy dots by craftwork cards in the flower centres and a Craftwork Cards sentiment oval. Did a bit of doodling around the edges of the card blank to finish. TFL, back soon. Chris

Materials:
Image: Sketching Stamper Digi-stamp 'Sweet Peas'
Colouring: Promarkers, Amethyst and rose pink
Paper: Doodlebug, white card, Bazzil purple
Embellishment: Tattered Angels glimmer mist in Pearl, prima hydrangea flowers, Craftwork cards candy dots, scallop blade of cutter, silver pen, hole punch, lilac ribbon, Craftwork cards oval sentment die cut.

'Watering with love' - the cuttlebug spot challenge

Hi everyone a card today for The Cuttlebug Spot and 'Valentine colour challenge', a valentine card without red or pink. I've used 'Watering with love' Sketching Stamper digi-stamp and coloured with markers, cut out and glazed with glossy accents. The background panel is green coredinations card embossed with the CB hearts folder and sanded. The sentiment stamp is a freebie with this months craft stamper magazine but mine seems to be bent on the bottom edge and I've had to fill in with black liner, this is also coloured with markers. I've doodled a border with the colours used in the image and added the little heart buttons to finish. TFL.

Materials:
Image: Sketching Stamper Digi-stamp 'Watering with love', Craft Stamper Free sentiment stamp
Colouring: Promarkers: Aegean, bright orange, gold, amethyst, warm grey 2, warm grey 3, ice grey 4, black
Embellishment: CB hearts embossing folder, sandpaper, glossy accents, heart buttons, doodling with markers

Bearing Love

Hi everyone, I'd just like to thank you all for the lovely comments and good wishes yesterday for my new venture with the digi-stamps, it's very much appreciated. Special big thank you to Sally-Ann and Janet for their support. My list isn't endless unlike Kate Winslets' so I'll stop here!

I intended to have this card posted yesterday but time ran away, it's for the SCSC where the challenge this week is hearts. I've used my Bearing Love digi-stamp (link at top of sidebar) and coloured with promarkers then sponged with distress ink. The layers are chocolate brown coredinations card which is distressed on the edges and Doodlebug sparkly hearts paper (it hurt to cut it, but I did and it's beautifully sparkly IRL), they're mounted with dimension tape. To decorate I added brown satin ribbon, punched three hearts from the Doodlebug paper and sponged round the edges of the white card blank with distress ink.

Materials:
Image: Sketching Stamper Digi-stamp 'Bearing Love'
Paper: Coredinations Chocolate, Doodlebug Cinnamon hearts, white card
Colouring: Promarkers in red, ruby, apricot, spice, terracotta, cocoa, sandstone, raw sienna, gold, ice grey 2, ice grey 4, black. Ranger distress ink in vintage photo
Embellishment: Brown satin ribbon, heart punch, dimension tape, sponge, distressing tool

Sketching Stamper Digi-stamps NOW OPEN!

Hi everyone, a post to let you know that sketching Stamper Digi-stamps is now OPEN!! It's all very exciting for me starting up my own little venture. I hope you'll have a chance to have a look at the designs and I also hope to be back with a card later.

I'd like to say thank you ladies for these wonderful awards. I always appreciate when someone takes the time to pass one on to me and for all the comments that are left, so thank you all very much

TFL and back soon, Chris
.

Cuttlebug Challenge

Hi everyone, a card for the Cuttlebug Challenge where this week the challenge is to use your favourite embossing folder. Well I love all of my embossing folders but the Swiss Dots is the one that I use most often so I've used it today to emboss my white card blank. I also embossed a line above and below the swiss dots. The image is one of my digi-stamps 'Open Rose' soon to be available at Sketching Stamper Digi-stamps hopefully from next week and is coloured with markers. I distressed the edges of the image and mounted on red card and dimension tape over the white card blank. Added the Elzybells sentiment, red gingham ribbon, tiny heart button and sponged gently around the edge of the card with vintage photo distress ink to finish. Hope you're enjoying the weekend. TFL.

Materials:
Image: Sketching Stamper Digi-Stamp 'Open Rose'
Colouring: Promarkers in Red, Ruby, Pastel Yellow, Moss Green, Pine, Ice Grey 2, Ice Grey 4, Ranger Distress ink in vintage photo
Embellishment: Cuttlebug Embossing folder 'Swiss Dots', Scoring board, red ginham ribbon, tiny heart button, craft knife to cut slit for the ribbon in the image panel, dimension tape.

Back soon,
Chris

BasicGrey Challenge 18 - Digi-print

Hi everyone, I can't believe another week has gone by and it's time for the next BasicGrey Challenge. This week it's digi print and a huge treat for everyone as there's a fantastic free Valentine image to download and print to use for your card by my fabulously talented team mate Kim. Thank you Kim your illustrations are wonderful, full of character and a real pleasure to colour. I chose the gorgeous Valentine girl, she has such a lovely wistful look about her, I wonder who she's day dreaming about? The whole time I was colouring her for some reason the Phil Collins song 'Two hearts' was going through my head so it ended up on my card! I think I'm taking a leaf from the book of my other team mate Tara who crafts to music and uses song titles, and I love that. I used markers to colour and cut the image out with the largest scalloped heart nestie, doodled the song title and dots around the edges and then attached to the card over a layer of BG Wassail paper (it's not just for Christmas LOL)! I used a CB die for the heart corner and the centre pieces from them for the other side of the card, these have all been given a coating of red stickles. Added a red ribbon and doodled faux stitching around the edges on the card blank in white gel pen. I hope you can join in this week and there's some fantastic inspiration from the challenge team. Hope your weekend has started well. TFL.

Materials:
Image: Digi-stamp by Kim (paperbabe), Valentine girl
Colouring: Promarkers
Paper: BasicGrey Wassail, red Canford card
Embellishment: Red organza ribbon, red stickles, CB heart corner die, white gel pen

Vase of hearts

Hi everyone, a card today for Stamp Something where the challenge this week is 'no stamping allowed'! I've used one of my digital images which will be available soon as a download and coloured with markers which hopefully counts as no stamping as no stamps were hurt in the making of this card! The image is matted on red card over a layer of gorgeous Doodlebug 'Love Potion' flocked paper which is perfect for the image. There's also a layer of pink glitter card and a layer of red over the white card blank. The image panel and heart paper are mounted on dimension tape and I added a red ribbon and gem to finish. TFL.

Materials:
Image: Sketching Stamper digi-stamp 'vase of hearts'
Colouring: Promarkers in red, ruby, apple, ice grey 2, ice grey 4, blender pen
Paper: Doodlebug 'Love Potion' flocked paper, Canson red card, white card, pink glitter card
Embellishment: wide red ribbon, red gem, 2mm dimension tape

Back soon,
Chris

A spoon full of Sugar Challenge 34

H i everyone and here's my card for A spoon full of sugar challenge 34 which is paper piecing and on which I was absolutely delighted to be asked by the lovely Joanne to be a guest designer this week. I hope you can enter this great challenge and have a look at all the wonderful creations from the DT. I've chosen an Elzybells image, stamped it on white card and then again on SEI paper and paper pieced the baby blanket onto the white card. The image is marker coloured and cut out with a nestabilities circle. I added glitter jewels to the moon, matted on a nestie cut scalloped circle in peach Bazzil card and then added the tiny half pearls to the scallops. The other layers are more of the SEI double sided paper and peach Bazzil. I folded back the bottom right corner of the SEI, stamped the Elzybells sentiment and added a button and bow. The image panel is mounted on dimension tape over a strip of the peach card embossed with a swiss dots cuttlebug folder and everything is layered on a white card blank. TFL.

Materials:
Stamps: Elzybells - wavy little one - baby moon, Versafine Black Onyx for stamping
Colouring: Promarkers
Paper: SEI, Peach Bazzil card
Embellishment: Cosmic Shimmer glitter jewels, tiny half pearls, white button, pink ribbon bow, cuttlebug embossing folder - swiss dots

Back soon,
Chris

PCS Lily the Fairy

Hi everyone, here's a card I've made for the Pink Cat Studios blog challenge, there's a cute little Lily the fairy image to download and use for your card. I've coloured with inks and markers, cut out with labels nestie dies and matted over another labels cutout in Coredinations card which is embossed and sanded then edge distressed. The background layer is also embossed and sanded and I added some sticky tape and pressed cosmic shimmer glitter jewels onto it which I've seen on a few blogs this week and I think is a brilliant idea. Finished the card with Prima flowers, gems, and an Elzybells sentiment. TFL.

Materials:
Stamps: digital image from Pink Cat Studios, Elzybells sentiment.
Colouring: Ranger Distress inks in dusty concord, worn lipstick, black soot, mustard seed, frayed burlap. Ancient page ink in primrose. Promarkers blush and pastel pink.
Cardstock: Lilac cardstock for base, Coredinations in lilac and pale yellow.
Embellishment: Cuttlebug folders, sandpaper, glue tape, Cosmic Shimmer glitter jewels, edge distresser, Prima hydraenga flowers, gems, stickles glue in stardust.

Back soon Chris

BasicGrey Challenge 17 - Chipboard

Hi everyone, hope your weekend is off to a good start in these freezing temperatures!

On BasicGrey Challenge this week.

"For this weeks challenge we would like to see you use some chipboard in your creations, fear not if you don't have any chipboard though, a good alternative is to recycle think cardboard that is usually found in boxes, simply cut some shapes from it, decorate it how you please and your good to go :), and of course not to forget to use at least one item from BasicGrey somewhere on your creation" I hope you can join in this week and that you'll be able to visit the rest of the creative team to see their wonderful work"!

I've made up a chipboard accordian tag with pictures I took in my garden for the challenge this week and I really enjoyed making it as I don't often do this kind of project. The tag started life plain brown and so I painted the whole thing with white acrylic paint and allowed to dry. Next step was to sponge on distress inks in lots of colours in a random way all over it, I blended these together with the sponge and allowed to dry which takes a bit longer than normal because of the acrylic paint underneath. I used a basic grey flower stamp to randomly stamp over everything and sponged around the edges with black ink. I then placed my pictures which are matted on black card, doodled some dots on them with a clear sparkle gel pen and added stickles in various colours to the centres of some of the stamped flowers. The paper flowers are punched from BG Two Scoops papers with a retro flower punch and shaped with a ball tool, I also placed pearls and gems in the flower centres. To embellish I did some swirly doodling between the flowers on the background, added the ribbons to the top of each tag piece and wrote on the date of the pictures with a black fineliner pen. I've taken a few more pictures (see below) close up of each panel as it's difficult to photograph the whole tag and still see the details. TFL and have a great weekend.




Materials:

K&co Chipboard accordian tag
Stamps: Basic Grey Ornamental garden
Ink: Versafine Black Onyx, Ranger Distress inks in Aged Mahogany, shabby shutters, milled lavender, spiced marmalade, mustard seed, dusty concord, black soot.
Embellishment: White acrylic artist paint, EK Success Retro Flower punch, ball shaping tool, foam mat, stickles in star dust, blue, green, yellow and fruit punch, Sakura clear sparkle gel pen, black fineliner pen, pearls and gems and various ribbons from stash, sponges

Back soon, Chris

Rosebuds

Hi everyone, a card today for the Cuttlebug Challenge where this week the challenge is to make a simple white card. I couldn't quite manage to make it completely white I'm afraid and luckily some of the DT cards have colour in them so hopefully this will qualify. I've used one of my own designs entitled 'Rosebuds' soon to be available as a digi-stamp from my download site which will be opening soon. The image is marker coloured cut and embossed with a large oval nestie and layered on a scalloped nestie cut from Lilac Bazzil card. I've mounted the image on dimension tape over the cuttlebug embossed panels, I think it looks a bit like a cake which is quite nice as it's for a birthday. The panels and card blank have been sponged on the edges with Milled Lavendar distress ink and to decorate I punched some butterflies, embossed them with the swiss dots folder, sponged and stickled. Added the ribbon and gems to finish. TFL.

Materials:
Paper: White and Lilac Bazzil card
Stamp: Sketching stamper digi-stamp
Colouring: Promarkers
Embellishment: Cuttlebug embossing folders, swirls and swiss dots, stardust stickles, pm gems, lilac satin ribbon, Milled lavender distress ink, sponges

A spoon full of sugar challenge 33

Hi everyone and a card today for A spoon full of sugar where this week there's a lovely sketch by Nikki to follow. The image is water coloured with distress inks, I've added a lot of stickles and sponged the edges with black ink. Everything is layered on cream card and Scenic Route paper. The heart sentiment is hand cut, sponged and doodled with black pen and Sakura pink sparkly gel pen. Flowers, gems and hessian from stash. TFL.

Materials:
Stamp: Hanglar
Paper: Scenic Route
Ink: Ranger distress inks
Embellishment: flowers (unknown), mm gems, hessian ribbon, sponges, Sakura gel pen, black fine liner, star dust stickles.

Back soon,
Chris

BasicGrey Challenge 17 - First sketch of 2009

Hi everyone and here is the first BasicGrey Challenge of 2009 and the DT have some stunning creations on the blog to show you. I hope you'll have the chance to join in this week and there's also a great prize to be won.

From the blog:

"I thought I would start 2009 with a sketch, so i have drew this one up for you to play with, feel free to resize or flip the sketch, just as long as the original sketch can be seen in your creation you are good to go, and of course not forgetting to use at least one item from BasicGrey somewhere in your creation :)"

My image is a Penny Black which I've water coloured with Ranger Distress Inks and glittered all over the background with diamond stickles. All the elements of the sketch are cut from BG Recess papers and mounted on a yellow card blank. I added some doodling, distressing, fibre, a gem, Elzybells sentiment and glossy accents to the toadstool to decorate. Have a great weekend.

I just received this lovely award from Dawn, thanks Dawn it's very much appreciated and I would like to pass it on to the lovely Dawn, Kathy and Jilli.


Materials:
Paper: BasicGrey Recess, yellow Canford card
Stamps: Penny black, Elzybells
Colouring: Ranger distress inks in black soot, tea dye, scattered straw, brushed corduroy, broken china, weathered wood, fired brick, worn lipstick, dried marigold
Embellishment: fibre and gem from stash, doodling, glossy accents, diamond stickles, edge distresser.

Back soon, Chris

Spring Angel

Hi everyone, I hope there aren't too many sore heads around today LOL! Happy new year to everyone once again, lets hope it's a good one (in the words of the song)! A card today for the Stamp Something challenge where there's a great sketch to follow, I really like this one and will definitely use it again. I've water coloured the cute Whipper Snapper angel with distress inks and I'm currently trying to make up a tutorial for this loose style of water colour as I've had a few requests. I don't have a camcorder or a tripod so I'm still trying to get a little video done as it's really about the brushwork so it would be best to see the movement, I'll try not to talk on it but I can't promise LOL! Hope to have it sorted soon. I've done some sponging around the patterned paper and the scored card and also some faux stitching with a white inksentials pen. Hydrangea flower and gem centre from stash.

Materials:
Paper: Blue Canford card, Laura Ashley Traditional paper pack
Stamp: Whipper Snapper 'Spring Angel'
Ink: Ranger distress inks in black soot, weathered wood, tea dye, broken china, faded jeans, worn lipstick
Embellishment: Score board/scoring tool, water brushes, hydrangea flower, gemstone, white inksentials gel pen, sponge, diamond stickles

Back soon,
Chris