BLOOMING FLOWERS....

A second post from me today!!! That must be a first, lol.  But, it's Wednesday again and that means time for another I ♥ PROMARKERS challenge.  This week is #187 and the theme is to Make Your Own Flowers. Our sponsor is PINK GEM DESIGNS and my card features the delightful 'Denny with Watering Can'.  Isn't he just the cutest draggie you've ever seen?

My gorgeous papers (well, I think they are) are from Prima's Sun Kiss collection.  I layered the paper and image onto my fave shade of green cardstock.  Denny was coloured, of course, with Promarkers and the sky was done with a blue pans pastel. I made my flowers using one of the amazing Sizzix die sets.  This one is Mini Daisy by Susan Tierney Cockburn.  I cut them with white card stock and shaped them using Susan's tool set, then I coloured the centres of them with yellow pan pastels.  When they were stuck together and dry, I popped a bit of flower soft in the centre of each.  It's the first time I've used that stuff as I bought it especially to use with my flower dies.  I have to say, I'm quite impressed with how it looks.

The fence die is Cheery Lynn and my fave leaf die of all time I think is also Cheery Lynn.  My sentiment was die cut using the Sizzix thinlets Tags & Sentiments and then I stamped the greeting with a stamp from my Personal Impressions mixed sentiments set.  I really like how this card finished up so am well chuffed, 'cause you know we never like our own stuff, ha ha.

Entering into:
CHEERY LYNN DESIGNS #99 - Die cut flowers.
PARADE YOUR CRAFTS #4 - Birthdays.
CRAFTY CARDMAKERS #100 - Winged things.
LEJ DESIGNS #72 - Lots of layers
613 AVENUE CREATE #38 - Anything goes.
BEARLY MINE #105 - Anything goes..
PARTY TIME TUESDAYS #139 - Anything goes.
ARTISTIC INSPIRATIONS #60 - Anything goes/Bright colours.
DIGI MAKEOVER (Paper Makeup) #107 - Anything goes.
MAKE IT MONDAY #159 - Anything goes.

ALL STITCHED UP!

Good morning peeps.  I hope you're all well out there in blogland.  Today sees my first creation as a new member of the design team for THE PAPER SHELTER.  I wasn't supposed to officially start until 9th October, but all us newbies were told we could join in now if we wanted to...so I did, lol.  I made a tag using the image called Cute Dressmaker.

  This image was perfect as this weeks theme (#130)  is to use stitching on your project.  It can be real or faux, but stitching's the thing.  You've a chance of a very generous prize too.

I coloured the image using a mixture of Tria's, Promarkers and Copics. The close up shot is to show that I added some real thread to her needle. The leaf die cuts are Cheery Lynn, Memory Box corner and everything else was from my stash.  The sentiment is computer generated and I stitched my layers of paper on my machine.  The papers are from Kaisercraft 'Secret Admirer'.

Entering into:
LEJ DESIGNS #72 - Lots of layers
613 AVENUE CREATE #38 - Anything goes. HONOURABLE MENTION
BEARLY MINE #105 - Anything goes..
PARTY TIME TUESDAYS #139 - Anything goes.
ARTISTIC INSPIRATIONS #60 - Anything goes/Bright colours.
DIGI MAKEOVER (Paper Makeup) #107 - Anything goes.

AHOY MATEY!!

On my recent trip to Cyprus, we went out on a Pirate Ship.  It was great fun and this is my grandson Aidan.  He had a ball as there was entertainment and all sorts going on.

The papers are from Best Creations.  I fussy cut the beach at the bottom from one sheet and 3D attached it to my base paper. The flag, title, ships wheel and skull & crossbones were cut on my Cameo.  I bought a pack of pirate charms and added 3 of them to this layout.  I'm trying to figure out how to do a girls pirate page now for my granddaughter's album.  You can just see her with a drink in her hand in one of these pics.

Arghhhh!!!

Good morning peeps, and a happy Wednesday to you all.  Time for another challenge over at I ♥ PROMARKERS.  It's week #186 and the theme is the ever popular Anything Goes.  The sponsor this week is INKY IMPRESSIONS but as I didn't have to use a sponsor image this time and I wanted something away from cute, I went with this amazing image from Rick St. Dennis.  And, I'll tell you that when I made this, it was exactly the mood I was in, lol.   Mind you, I've no clue who I could possibly send this to, (except maybe the person who'd upset me in the first place!) Tee hee!!!

My papers are all from My Mind's Eye (Blush pad I think).  I added a bit of mesh across the centre, the border is punched with an EK success punch and I computer generated my sentiment.  Anyway, I hope you like her and she doesn't give you nightmares, ha ha ha.

Entering into:
DIVA'S BY DESIGN - Anything goes.
HAUNTED DESIGN HOUSE #176 - Who are you?  I'M A BANSHEE!!!! GRUESOME TWOSOME
TAMMY'S SCRAPPIN' CORNER #80 - Anything goes.
MAKE IT MONDAY #158 - Anything goes.
OLDIE BUT A GOODIE - Dies and punches (papers and punch are old).
TTCRD 17th - 23rd - Anything goes.
ARTISTIC INSPIRATIONS #59 - Anything goes or Frame it.
CREATED WITH LOVE #58 - Anything goes.
MY CRAFT CREATIONS - Anything goes with stamp or digi.

INSPIRED BY....and a WHOOP!!!!!

Before I tell you what or who I've been inspired by, what am I Whooping about?  Well, I've got a place on THE PAPER SHELTER design team! Whoop double whoop.  I can't tell you how chuffed I am to be one of the chosen ones out of so many fabulous entries.  I'm really looking forward to getting started with their fabulous images.

So, what's inspired me?  Well it's a lady called FINNABAIR.  One of my crafty buddies, Cynthia, sent me a link to this amazing mixed media artist and all I can say is Wow!  You should take a look.  Anyway, I watched her making some tags and using glimmer mists and such and I really wanted to try and do what she did.  Tags, I don't have a problem with but those inks...well, that's summat else.  I've had bottles of the stuff for a few years now and never used them.  I just couldn't get on with them at all.  Anyway, here's my first effort.

All the papers I used were from a Melissa Frances paper pad C'est la Vie.  Flowers all from my stash.  On this tag I used a recent discovery, Prima Resistant Canvas shapes.  Love 'em.  I also used a script stencil by Crafters Workshop and Liquitex modelling paste.  Some inking with Brushed Corduroy and a bit of tissue tape finished it off.  I quite like this.  Then came the spray inks!!!!!  Ooooeerrrrr!  Not successful.  I've muddied the colours.  Not sure if it's my colours, my technique or both, lol.  Both probably.

So, not happy with attempt No. 1 I had another go.  I used the same papers and resistant canvas shapes, but this time I used some die cuts too.  Cheery Lynn fence, butterfly and leaves and Memory Box swirl. The cameo is from Hobby House and I stitched the paper layers on my machine this time too.

At the moment I love this.  Then came the inks again.  Oh dear, I don't love it so much now.  It's not as bad as my first attempt, but it's still not right.  Or at least, it's not how I want it to look.  Maybe I need some different colour sprays.  Dunno.  Or may, I just expect too much ha, ha.

Anyhow, I'll not give up until I've mastered this spraying jobby.  Oh no!  Might try it on a card and a scrapbook layout too.

TIM HOLTZ TAGS 2013 - SEPTEMBER

This month's tag is all about layering.  I used Liquitex modelling paste, stencils by various manufacturers and the butterfly stamp is from the wonderful Kaisercraft again.  I didn't have any white distress paint so I used Americana acrylic paint and it worked an absolute treat.  Pop over to Tim's blog to see all the techniques. Loved it this month as it's right up my street, I love blending colours and using texture but still having a bit of grunge in there.  I think stencils and modelling paste are my new fave craft tools, lol.

Entering into:
Tim Holtz Tags of 2013 - September.
CRAFTS TOO #3 - Texture.

SHAPING UP!

It's week #185 over at I ♥ PROMARKERS and this week's challenge is to use 3 different shapes on your project. There are 2 fabulous sponsors this week:  VISIBLE IMAGE and THE PAPER SHELTER.
I have used this gorgeous image from The Paper Shelter called Arabian Spell and one of my favourite colour combinations of green and pink.  I especially love this particular shade of green and use it loads.

I have used 3 papers from the Prima pad 'Fairy Flora'.  I started by making my background with the papers cut into 2 triangles.  Then I layered some rectangles up for the centre and goodness knows what the shape of the nestie is called lol, but anyway, I've definitely got my 3 shapes.  Spellbinders borderabilities (at least, I think that's what they're called) is what I used for the border shapes.  I didn't want a large greeting on this, so I cut a tiny tag and coloured it pink and then used a peel off greeting no less!!!  I've had these for about 6 years or maybe even longer and they're so off trend now, but hey! I thought the little letters were perfect for this. I popped a doily and some pearls on to finish it off.

Entering into:
ADDICTED TO STAMPS #62 - Make your mark.
CARD MANIA #29 - Fave colour combo.
PAPER PLAYTIME #18 - 3 different papers.
CRAFTY SENTIMENTS - Anything goes.
TUESDAY THROWDOWN #164 - Anything goes.
MAKE IT MONDAY #157 - Anything goes.
PARADE YOUR CRAFTS #3 - Anything goes.

MORE THAN ONE...

Oh boy!  September already.  Wherever does the time go?  I'm getting older much too quickly for my liking, lol.  Anyway, it's week #184 over at I ♥ PROMARKERS and the sponsor is LOTV.  The theme this week is to use more than one image.

This stumped me at first as I didn't think there was enough room to add two images, but then...well, I figured it out.  I got out one of my Kanban stamp sets and stamped a couple of butterflies. Ta Dah!  2 different images - the boy/girl is one image and of course is from LOTV.   My papers are Basic Grey's 'Plumeria' with a square doily on the top.  The centre has some lilac mesh, white lace and purple dotty ribbon across it.

Entering into:

CREATIVE MOMENTS #25 - Birthday/Anything goes

FLUTTERBY WEDNESDAY #251 - Open (with butterfly or fairy).

ADDICTED TO STAMPS & MORE - #61? - Anything goes.

ANYTHING GOES #100 - In the garden & add a butterfly.

CARDS AND MORE #89 - Anything goes.

CREATIVE CARD CREW #44 - Things with wings.

EVERYBODY ART CHALLENGE #243 - Birthday.

PAPERTAKE WEEKLY - Anything goes.

SPLASHIN' GOOD FUN

This is my Granddaughter Mia playing in the pool in their back yard in Cyprus.  She absolutely loves it and plays for hours with her brother Aidan.  I spent quite a lot of time in there with them myself, lol.  It was the only way to cool down from the unrelenting heat out there!

Papers and embellies are all from the Echo Park collection 'Summer Days'.

Entering into:

613 AVENUE CREATE #35 - Anything goes (optional twist I haven't used). TOP 3

CHALLENGES 4 EVERYBODY #28 - Anything goes.

RED CARPET STUDIO #52 - Anything goes.