BasicGrey Challenges - 7 - Photo Inspiration

Hi everyone, where has the week gone, well where has the fortnight gone for that matter, as we're onto a new challenge today at BasicGrey Challenges and this time we have a love inspiration photograph for you to work from supplied by our lovely Tara W. I love the colours in this which is what  I've gone for the colour scheme in the photo, thanks T, I enjoyed it.

The monthly prize draw is taking place and will be announced later today, and from now on our generous sponsor Simon Says Stamp is offering a lovely BG themed prize for every challenge. Here is a photo of the gorgeous prize you could win to be announced at the start of our next challenge on 14th November!

The base colour of my tag is cream so I've left some of that showing to fit with the inspiration photograph. I used aged mahogany distress ink for the red colour and walnut stain for the brown colour. The red was used first, I stamped the pad onto my craft sheet then spritzed with water and I dragged the tag through it and dried off with a heat gun, I did the same with the walnut stain ink. I stamped the solid Christmas tree image from the Kadoodle 'Joi de Noel' set from the Craft Barn several times in the red and then the brown and while one was still damp I added burgundy perfect pearls. I've also added some Ranger Distres crackle paint in Rock Candy and Antique Linen, script and crackle background stamps by Personal Impressions and letters from Impression Obsession. I did some highlighting around the stamped images and the edge of the tag with a gold metallic pen, added some gems, a metal photo corner, a BasicGrey Button and Ambrosia fibres to finish. Happy Halloween! TFL.

A cup of tea and some news!

Hi everyone, hope your week is going well. I have a card today for three challenges:
Daring Cardmakers: Favourite things (at least five of your favourite things to use on your cards). My favourite things used here are May Arts ribbon, gems, stardust stickles, punch, piercing, distress ink sponging, copics, creating backgrounds to my images, dimension tape ( I almost always use this, I like to lift up the layers), Bazzil cardstock. Well that's nine, a shame, if I'd had ten there was a gold star in it :)!

Allsorts Challenge: Furry friends (I like bunnies!)

Simon Says Challenge: All that sparkles, (gems and stickles)

I've used an MFT bunny set, I love the little accessory stamps that go with these sets and I've used them all on this card and I also love the sentiment which is hidden at the top a bit by the ribbon but the last word is 'company'. The image is coloured with copics, I've done some flicky strokes to give a bit of texture to the fur and then I've stamped the leaves in different shades of distress inks. All around the image I've sponged with distress inks to create the background then added lots of stardust stickles and gems. Image is mounted on bazzil card one piece punched with an MS scallop punch and then pierced along the scallopes (I've had a day off from the doodling today)! Added the pretty ribbon to finish.

On to my news! I entered the Magnolia Stamps weekend challenge back in September and was very excited that I won first prize. It was very difficult to keep quiet about it all this time, I had to wait until the new Magnolia ink magazine was out which it is now. I just got my copy yesterday which has my card on the cover (mega exciting) and a double page spread too, it's going in a frame, well one of the other two copies that I've bought are anyway :) The magazine is superb and all the projects from the Design Team are amazing, they've put so much work into their creations, it's all gorgeous and Christmassy.

As if I wasn't excited enough about this, Magnolia have asked me to be on their Design Team! I'm still dealing with the unreality of this every day at the moment until I receive my stamps but I have the emails which I keep looking at to believe it :) . I found out a couple of days after Ally Pally, so that certainly was an amazing week for me. I can't wait until I can post my first DT card on my new Magnolia blog which I'm in the process of starting. So, apologies that I haven't really been on top of emails and commenting, things have been a bit manic. TFL.

Just Magnolia - Challenge 28

Hi everyone, hope you've all had a great weekend! A card today for Just Magnolia challenge where this week there's a wonderful sketch by my DT friend Martine which I love. I've used this lovely Tilda for my card which was a gift from another DT friend Larissa, thank you girls. Colouring is with Copics with lots of spica glitter pen and stickles and sponging with distress ink around the edges of the oval scalloped nestie. There's also a frame above the image cut from acetate and stamped in white ink with a Laura Ashley stamp. Flowers are done in the same way as the frame, the largest was heated a bit to make the edges curl. The paper is Magnolia peaches and I've embossed with the Cuttlebug script folder and sanded some Core'dinations whitewashed card and plain cream Core'dinations. Added some faux stitching, doodling, polka dot ribbon, a die cut tag and punched and shaped leaves to finish. TFL.

DU2DS Challenge 24 - No squares allowed

Hi everyone, a new challenge on DU2DS today and this time our dare is no squares allowed, a shaped card which must include a digi image. I've rounded off the corner on my card to give me a new shape and then cut card to fit from Core'dinations whitewashed card. I've used the reverse side for the bottom layer and the whitewashed side for the upper layer. This piece has been embossed with the distressed stripes CB embossing folder and sanded so that I can also enter the card into the Cuttlebug Challenges where the theme this week is Halloween and you also have to scraplift from one of the designers cards. I've chosen June's card, I liked how she used the distressed stripes eb folder so I've taken inspiration from that and June has promised extra credit for using her card ROFL, so hopefully some brownie points too?

I've used this gorgeous digi image 'Maddie and Mel's pumpkin fun' by my sweet and supportive blog friend Crissy who is the most talented artist. I'm really happy for her that she has all these great new ventures, I love everything she draws. It's brilliant that she's now doing digital too for Squiggle Fly and also lots of new rubber stamps for Kraftin Kimmie Stamps and Bunny Zoe's Crafts new stamp line Wags 'n Whiskers stamps.

Oh, about the card :D, I've coloured the puppies with copics and cut them out, curved and attached with gel glue. The Boo sentiment and the cobweb were cut on the bug and then smeared with stickles. Added the dotty ribbons and some doodling to finish. Well I hope you aren't seeing spots now, it's a bit dot mad :D! Have a good Friday, nearly the weekend!! TFL.

Colour Create Challenge 30 - All White

Hi everyone, there's a new challenge today on Colour Create and I'm a bit late with my post I'm afraid! This time our theme of All White with a coloured image is chosen by Heather, thanks Heather, we all loved this one and all the DT cards are amazing! There's no optional extra which is just as well as I'd completely forgotten to check :D! Hope you can join us and there's a great prize of a $25 gift certificate from our sponsor Simon Says Stamp so, even more reason to join in.

I've made an 4 inch easel card from white textured card. and then I've scored a criss cross grid on my score board and highlighted with dots of stardust stickles. The image is my Poinsettia digi stamp which is printed out on watercolour paper and painted with distress inks. The image is cut out around the top and I've added some different sized yellow gems for the centre and some stickles here and there. To finish I popped on a die cut Happy Christmas sentiment. TFL.

Stamp something - bling it somethings

Hi everyone, hope your weekend was good! I had a lovely day yesterday teaching a copic class at the Craft Barn, hello to all the lovely ladies I met, thank you for making it a great day for me and I hope you enjoyed it too. 


One of the techniques we looked at was copic marker direct to a solid stamp which gives a lovely watercolour effect. I saw this technique somewhere in blogland originally but it's one I didn't save unfortunately and I can't remember which blog, thank you anyway for sharing. I'm entering this into the Stamp Something challenge which this time is bling it somethings.


For the star I used the Kadoodle Star from the Joi de noel set and I coloured it with three different blue copic markers to cover the whole of the stamp, when I finished colouring I misted it with blending solution until if was quite wet and then stamped it onto some white textured card. The image is cut out and then edged with a gold metallic pen and raised up on foam dots over the two cut out stars also edged with gold. I've joined the two stars together with an eyelet threaded with gold raffia and it's about 4.5 inches so, big enough to be a card but I might also use this as a tag. To finish I coloured all the white areas of the stamped star with a copic clear spica glitter gel pen for some bling and added the little gold bow.

BasicGrey Challenges - 6 - Colour Combo

Hi everyone, hope you're all off with a good start to the weekend. We have a new challenge at BasicGrey challenges today with a lovely colour combination of  green red and blue and if you include a BasicGrey product you can be in with a chance of being entered into the monthly draw. There's some fantastic cards from my DT friends which I hope you can pop over to see and that you'll join us for the challenge. I'm also entering this card into the Just Magnolia challenge which this week is bright and zingy.

I've used the gorgeous Magnolia Dinner Tilda and I've water coloured her with distress inks. The matting layers are red and blue bazzil card and BasicGrey Eskimo Kisses paper, I've done a bit of sponging on the edges and punched a border with an MS punch. The base card is pale green and I've stamped onto that with an Artistic Stamper dot background stamp in Fired Brick distress ink which I've rubbed off in places with a tissue. Added some doodling in red pen, some stickles, red flowers, a white rub on sentiment which I don't think shows up too well and I rounded some of the corners with a corner rounder punch to finish. Have a good weekend. TFL.

Just Magnolia - Challenge 26 Sketch

Hi everyone, a card today for Just Magnolia challenge where this week there's a lovely sketch by Mina, thanks Mina, I really enjoyed working with it. I've used the sweet cooking Tilda, coloured with copics and then cut out. The is BasicGrey Wisteria and the card blank and other layers are Core'dinations card which I've distressed with scissors and sandpaper at the edges. I've added some gorgeous purple tulle that I got from the lovely Tab, a small bow, some little cream roses that I've glittered, tiny iridescent gems and some stickles to the image to finish. I think I might have liked this card better if I'd made the circle larger but I'd run out of the violet card......as you do :D! Have a good Thursday.

Copic Creations 13 - Pumpkins

Hi everyone, hope you're all having a good week so far. A card today for Copic Creations where the theme this time is Pumpkins. I've used my digi image Pumpkin Patch coloured of course with copics. The edge of the image has been faux stitched and I've added some stardust stickles for sparkle. I carried on the faux stitching  with the Core'dinations card blank and sentiment which is cut with nesties then added some ribbon and buttons to finish. TFL.

Last Day to Win - Craft Barn Competition

£20 Voucher

£15 Voucher

Hi Everyone I've just popped on to say that midnight tonight GMT is the last chance to enter the Craft Barn Birthday Celebration for a chance to win one of the prizes above in the draw. You'll have to go back to last Monday however to solve all the clues to be in with a chance. They really are fabulous prizes.

Ketto

Hi everyone, hope you're having a good weekend. A card today which was sent to my friend Larissa who had her Birthday on Friday and I know she's received her card so it's ok to blog it now. I've used a gorgeous little Ketto image, coloured her with Copic markers then added some stardust stickles here and there. The background paper and centre of the flower is by October Afternoon and I've used some cream bazzil card for the MS punched border, Woodware punched flower and oblong scalloped nestie shape. I popped the shaped flower on top of a cream tulle bow and sponged all edges with black distress ink and added a doodlebug rub on sentiment and black half pearl to finish. Enjoy your Sunday. TFL.

Dare U 2 Digi Stamp Challenge 24 - Colour Challenge Orange, Yellow, and Black or White

Hi everyone, Friday has rolled round again, so fast! Here's my card for DU2DS where this time the challenge is the colour combo of orange, yellow and black or white. I've gone for the black option and used one of my friend Sandra's gorgeous Rock Chick digi images, 'singer' and she's coloured with Copic markers. The paper is by BasicGrey from the Obscure collection and the card blank is a Papermania scalloped card. To decorate I've cut out some star shapes on the cricut from yellow bazzil card, sponged the edges with black distress ink and then coated them with the new Ranger Crackle paint 'Rock Candy' which is really gorgeous and gives a nice small crackle. I also added the black bead string (thanks Tara x), some sparkle gel pen, some black gems and a rub on sentiment. Hope you have a great weekend. TFL.

Colour Create Challenge 29 - Red, Yellow, Black and White

Hi again everyone, here's my card for Colour Create where this time our gorgeous colour combo of red, yellow, black and white with an option of  checks and flowers has been chosen by our lovely Janiel, so thanks Janiel, I really enjoyed your theme. There's some fantastic inspiration from all my DT friends on the blog so I hope you'll be able join us. Our prize for this challenge is sponsored by me :D and the winner will receive their choice of six digi images.

I've used one of my new images which I hope to have up for sale in the digi shop later today and this one is 'Harvest Fayre'. I printed out the image on watercolour paper and then water coloured with distress inks. I've also tried the cracked glass technique for the first time and I'll definitely use this one again, it gives a great look over an image and is so easy to do. I think it's quicker if you have the ultra thick type of clear embossing powder, I had to use five layers of embossing powder, but it was no hardship, I'm really addicted to watching it melt :D. I then popped it in the freezer for half an hour and bent it as soon as I took it out and all the cracks appeared. I've realised it would have looked better if  I'd remembered to sponge some distress ink into the cracks! For the rest of the card I've used black, yellow and white bazzill card, I used a big hounds tooth check stamp and black ink to stamp randomly on the card blank, and I didn't ink every time I applied it to give a mottled effect. The black layer is punched with the MS flourish border punch and I added the red check ribbon, some doodling with black and white gel pens and the pearls and flowers to finish. TFL and enjoy your Thursday, I'm off for an eye test today and no doubt will come back with even thicker glasses :D!!

Craft Barn 1st Birthday Prizes and What's on your work desk Wednesday

Hi everyone, I've just realised that I meant to post about this week's celebrations at the Craft Barn blog for their 1st anniversary of the Online shop. There are gorgeous prizes to be won but you have to solve a clue every day this week. Here's the information from the website but you need to go back in the posts to Monday to start with the first clue:


IT'S THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF OUR WEBSITE GOING LIVE!

We have a week of celebrations, free UK postage has now finished but click over onto our blog and join in with our fun competition - 1st Prize is blog candy worth over £100 and there are two other prizes to win also.

On Friday to round off our week of celebrations we'll let you know about our special weekend postage deal for our customers based in Europe.

Are you ready for the first day of our competition ? Today, the featured products are the cute Brentwood owls, which are one of the latest stamp line we have added to our website.

Last week, I added the new Halloween and Christmas designs too, which are so cute!!

So here’s your first mission (if you accept it…  ): check out the cards below. Find the corresponding stamps on the website. In the description of one of those stamps, you will find the first letter. Just one letter, clearly marked Clue 1, in red.

Keep this letter, you will need it on Sunday. Do not reveal it below, but please, don’t go without leaving a comment about the lovely samples we are showing you today.

If you mention this competition on your blog, please let us know too"

Here's my very blurry 'What's on your Work Desk Wednesday' photo, I haven't joined in for the last couple of weeks as everything was exactly the same as the previous time :D but this week I have a slightly different mess from a slightly different angle :D and slightly more organised chaos! Just for Julia, the white alien isn't the mother ship or I would have already been beamed up in a bad way! So, nothing actually in the process of being made, just the bits and pieces I have there most of the time and the card from yesterday not put away. I've also got the infinity board for photographing my cards against on the table which I made at the weekend and it's turned out really well (the huge piece of card on the right). You can make one of these very easily, it only takes a few minutes, a huge piece of foam core board (roughly A2 is the size I bought), a matching size piece of thick paper or card, some ribbon, a ruler and craft knife. It makes such a difference to the background of the cards if you don't have a light box set up, as it gives that infinite background effect and no line where two pieces of 12 x 12 are propped up together which is the way I did the photo's previously. How long I'll be able to keep it clean is an entirely different matter but you can just change the card for a new piece when it gets mucky. I found the instructions on Stamp TV's Stamping Lifestyle magazine. If you look for the August issue with ththe camera equipment as the front page it opens up a PDF in your browser so I can't do a direct link to the actual article but it's easy to find if you just click on the issue.

See you later with my Colour Create card and sorry about an extremely long post today, if you made it to here.....I like you very much. TFL.

Cardvaarks Challenge - Take a Bow

Hi everyone, hope you're having a good week so far. A card today that I'm entering into the Caardvarks challenge which is 'Take a Bow' and use ribbon in a wonderful way. Well may be how I've used my ribbon isn't that wonderful, I made a bow but I thought I'd enter anyway and now I have one more Christmas card done :D too. I've used my new 'partridge in a pear tree' digi available in the shop very shortly and water coloured it with distress inks. The edges are sponged with black distress ink and I've added some stickles for some sparkle here and there. The rest of the card is very simple, some gorgeous SEI Winter Song paper which is embossed and has a lovely sheen to it, that's also been sponged at the edges and some red bazzil card. I added the ribbon bow, some red and white flowers and some red pearls to finish. TFL.

BasicGrey Challenge 5 - Sketch

Hi everyone, hope you had a good Saturday and here I am a bit late I'm afraid with my card for BasicGrey Challenges. This week we have a great sketch for you to follow which has been designed by our lovely Martine and which you can rotate or flip however you like as long as the sketch can still be seen. I hope you can join us, there's loads of amazing inspiration from all my DT friends and of course there's the fantastic prize draw as long you use a BasicGrey product on your creation. We would also like to welcome Ruth as our guest designer for the month of October it's great to have you on the team Ruth and I hope you enjoy it.

I've coloured a sweet little Ketto stamp for this card (thank you Kim x) which I've coloured with copics and added some Stardust Stickles for a bit of sparkle. The base card and the piece embossed and sanded with a CB music folder are Coredinations Card. The other layers are BG Sugared and I've used a small piece of this to make the little curled sentiment strip and used a Doodlebug rub on for the sentiment. To finish off there's some thin ribbon and pink gems and BG buttons. Hope you enjoy the rest of the weekend. TFL.