My new DT spot at Crafty-Emblies and Challenge number 2

Hi all and welcome to my crafty blog.

today I am posting about the great  news that I have a new DT place over at  Crafty-Emblies!

Crafty Emblies is a new company set up making wooden emblishments for crafters and what a wonderful array of clever and unusual pieces they have to offer.  Crafty-Emblies are also sponsoring this challenge with the winner receiving a voucher to spend in the Crafty-Emblies web-shop on lovely embellishing goodies !

This is my first DT project for the current theme 'Picture Perfect' which ask entrants to create their own Picture Perfect projectand explain why.

So how did I do. I try to reuse, upcycle or repurpose things I see about me in the house and see what I can come up with.  This is my cork-coaster picture frame made from , of course, a cork coaster, undiluted water-colour paints, flourishes, copper embossing powder, fibers and flowers.

I cut a square aperture from a normal Ikea cork coaster to create the frame. I then painted the frame with combination of paints to get a verdigis effect and when the paint was dry I distressed the surface with rough sandpaper. Randomly rubbing the frame with an embossing pad I heat embossed the copper embossing power and then distressed that too. I treated the fibers with Vintage Photo distress ink and wound it round the side of the frame as well as adhering two leaf flourishes to opposite corners of the frame.
The frame was finished with fabric flowers and an oval embellisment with the word HOPE on it.

I used this frame to feature a butterfly image which had been stamped onto a clear embossed  script background and coloured with water-based inks.

I quite like how the dark frame sets off the bright colours in the butterfly image. Not bad for a 'repurposed' cork coaster.

Thanks for stopping by to read my blog and don't forget to take some time to pop over to Crafty-Emblies  to take a look at the other DT projects and may be join in.

Looking forward to hearing from you, your time and comments are much appreciated.


Angela x

Thank You - Copics graduated colour background.

Hi all and welcome to my craft blog.

Today I am posting a card I made using a technique I saw on the Papertray Hints and Tips Youtube channel, using Copics to create a background. This post was prompted by a post I've just seen  here on the blog of a DT colleague Debbi Taylor.

Debbi used Copics to create her background too.

I followed the demo quite faithfully and was careful to choose colours that contrasted and yet complimented each other. The key is in the blending and as Copics are alcohol inks they blend and mix very well. The white wooden butterfly was treated with the same colours and adhered using a foam adhesive. The stamp is an old one and I can't remember where from. The butterfly's  'flight path' was drawn in with a fineliner in black.

colours used were   G99,RV11,V06, V09,YG03

The card was made for of the daily challenges set on the FB page at Craftymess. 

Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog. Your time and comments are appreciated.

Angela x

Craftymessers Challenge - Animal with a blue colours theme (no insects)

Hello and welcome to my crafty blog.

Today I am posting a couple of DT cards for the new challenge starting to day over at  Craftymess Challange Blog .  Our theme for this fortnight is Animal(s) with a blue colour scheme and this was chosen by our teamie at Craftymess  Gemma .We are being sponsored for this challenge by  Crafty-Emblies .
  

 

The prize for the lucky winner of the challenge is a voucher for 10 pounds to spend in the wonderful Crafty-Emblies on-line store.

So here are my DT contributions for this theme.

It's a PAW TAY!

My first card uses a digital stamp I got from Meljen Designs and I have always had a soft spot for this particular party animal !   The digi images come in a .zip file with two formats - b&w JPG, and transparent PNG. I like the JPG format as I can resize the images to suit what ever size 'canvas' I am using. 
I've printed the image onto white card and coloured it with watercolour paints.  I cut the image to fit into a Nellie Snellen eyelet circle die and created the frame. I printed a second image but this time only colouring the hat and balloons. These were then cut out and popped up on dimensional adhesives to make them stand out from the main image. My base card is 5x5 dark blue cardstock with some Stampin' Up backing paper and a blue ribbon matted to it. The card was finished with a printed sentiment cut and adhered to the same blue card stock.

My second card is a bit more sedate.
Again a 5x5" tent-fold card in light blue card stock, with the bottom 3rd of the card embossed with Swiss Dots embossing folder. I cut two sizes of  Spelbinders  Labels 4 and used them as a frame for the bear. The stamped image is a Bumble Bear I got free with a crafts magazine and I have used Copics markers to colour him. The card is completed with three stamped dandilions from   Stamps of Life  embossed in white and a blue pola dot ribbon and bow embellised with a pearl button.

Baby Boy

Please take some time to pop along to the   Craftymess Challange Blog  and take a look at the other DT work. We have some very talented people on our DT. Make a visit and be inspired to join in.

Thank you for stopping by to read my blog. Your time and comments are much appreciate.

Angela xx

Day Dreaming - Katie in her own world

Hello and welcome to my crafty blog.

Today I am posting a scrapbook page I made after spotting this photo of my cousin's little girl KATIE taken after a family get-together.  Such a cute picture, isn't it, so the photo just begged to be scrapped. I love the lost in thought expression and the smile is fabluous.

Day Dreaming

The blue patterned backing paper came from a pack in a  bargain bin in Lidl, believe it or not, where I got ten double-sided backing papers for €2.99!  BARGAIN!!! The flowers are a combination of punched petals and cut-outs from a white flowery place-mat I bought yonks ago. My embellishments are a mixture of American Craft letter stickers, Memory Box die cut bird-cage and Martha Stewart punched Butterflies and heart. The orange ribbon and sparkly stickers are from my stash. The journalling panel is from Colorbök.
I've left the journalling spot empty as I would like Katie's Mum and Dad to add something here.

I also made this for the Scrap Sketch challenge running on the FB page at Craftymessers .

Thanks for stopping by to read my blog. Your time and comments are much appreciated.

Angela xx

Bright Colours - Cards Galore Scrapbook Challenge and DT Call.

Hi all and welcome to my crafty blog.

Today is the turn for my scrapbooking DT for the new challenge running over at  Cards Galore Scrapbook Challenge  until the 13th of September.   The theme for this challenge is Bright Colours.

 Disneyland Love.

Mine is a paper scrapbook page and I've chosen a photo of my son and his girlfirend  taken a few years ago at Disneyland. The bright cartoon colours that are so much  a part of the Disney background are the inspiration for this page. Regardless of how old my son is, a trip to Disneyland is still on the agenda everytime.  He just loves it! There are lots of photos of the trip, but very few of them together and this is one of my favourites.

I'd seen a layout recently where the background had a printed postage-stamp edging and as I wanted this effect for my layout, I decided to make my own using  a cream cardbase and a 1" round punch. Not bad for a first attempt!

I also incorporated some of the tickets and brouchures that my son kept as mementos from the trip into the layout and used bright yellow cardstock to pop everything out. Some American Thickers for the lettering and a cut-out of the Disneyland logo complete the page.

Please pop over the the  Cards Galore Scrapbook Challenge and see the great range of DT talent on display. We have traditional and digi scrappers to inspire you and we are also looking for some new members for our DT.

DT call

We are looking for 1 paper scrapper and 1 digi scrapper.

If you would like to be considered, ENTER THE CHALLENGE and LEAVE A COMMENT letting us know you wish to apply, with the link to your blog..

 Please also state if you are applying as paper or digi scrapper.

Requirements:

1 layout pr month following a set theme.

Commenting on entries.

Participation in our Facebook group  

(this is crucial, so if you don't have time to join in the fun, please don't apply)

If you have any questions, please dont hesitate to mail our adminstrator

marleengallagher@yahoo.com

Thank you for stopping by to read my blog and I hope you find time to visit and support the wonderful challenge blogs you see here. Your time and comments are appreciated.

Ax

Words - Craftymessers Challenge - 11 August 2012

Hi all and welcome to my crafty blog.

Today I am blogging my DT card for the Craftymessers Challenge Blog newest challenge starting today Saturday 11th. The theme chosen by teamie Judie is simply'WORDS'.

We were to create a DT project reflecting only words as the main feature of the piece and this is my contribution.  I do like this stamp from the Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous range and I think the sentiment speaks to all of us crafters.

Our Sponsor for our challenge this time is....Crimson Cloud they are offering our winner 3 pkts of Die Cuts of your choice.

http://www.crimsoncloud.co.uk/

"Crimsoncloud.co.uk is owned by Linda and Melanie, and is a mother/daughter venture - a way to indulge their joint passion of cardmaking and papercrafting.  

Linda, based in South Africa, is the designer - developing their exclusive range of stamps, die cuts, digital stamps, svg cutting files and card kits which reflect their styles of card making.

Melanie is based in Brighton, Sussex and runs the web based shop - only selling products that they have tried, tested and love using. New products are regularly being tested and added to the range.

For ideas and inspiration, check out the gallery on the Crimson Cloud website, or follow their blog on www.blog.crimsoncloud.co.uk with new posts and samples being added at least once a week."

Here is my card

Imagination

My card is 5x5 tent fold cardbase, matted with dark gray and mustard coloured paper. Decorated with rub-on flourishes and edges outined with a fine liner pen. Sentiment stamped onto distressed scalloped oval background and embellished with two brass brads. A yellow gross-grain ribbon to finish.

Recipe 

Kraft and Gray cardstock from stash

Basic Grey - Two Scoops backing paper

Brass Brads from stash 

Ted GmbH - Rub-on Flourish

Stampers Anonymous - Natures Discoveries Stamp

Memento  Ink - Tuxedo Black

Stampin' Up - Gross Grain ribbon - Yellow

Spellbinders - Scalloped Oval die

Fine liner pen

I would also like to enter this in to the  
Make it Monday Anything goes challenge. 
House of Gilly -  Add a Sentiment challenge.

Please take time to drop in at the  Craftymessers Challenge Blog and check out the DT work. The challenge runs for a fortnight, so there is lots of time to get your entry in. Looking forward to seeing your creations there.


Thanks for taking time to stop by and read my blog. Your time and comments are appreciated.

Angela xx

Scrapbook Challenge Reminder

Hi all you happy crafters and welcome to my blog.

Today I'm posting a quick reminder that there is still time to take part in the first ever 'Anything Goes' scrapbook challenge now running over at  Cards Galore Scrapbook Challenge  and get the chance to win a Guest Designer spot on the blog. What a great was to bring more attention to your own blog! 

Take some time to pop over and check it out. Definately worth a try.


Have a great day !!

Angela x

Tags Challenge - Cards Galore Challenge Blog.

 Hello and welcome to my crafty blog.

Today I am blogging about my DT project for the  Cards Galore Challenge Blog theme TAGS. I know it is a crime to think of Christmas in July but someone has to do it and it might as well be me.

I tried to think of a design that could be repeated and was easy(ish) to put together; who wants more work at Christmas ?, and I came up with this Tag .

My base is a piece of red cardstock with the top two corners rounded. I added a strip of red check ribbon with a tassle border and laid a piece of cream cardstock, same width as the base and about 1'' high with a   perforated edge on top of the ribbon. The piece of cream card also had two brass-coloured brads added to the left-hand side for decoration.  I stamped the Santa onto watercolour paper and coloured him in with watercolour paints. To deepend the red of the hat I used Glossy Accents which also created shine. The Santa was cut out and adhered to a hand-cut tag in dark green cardstock with a torn edge and this was popped up with dimensional adhesive on the tag and set slightly at an angle. I stamped the greeting in gold Versa Color ink and added colour to the holly leaves and berries with red and green marker pens.

I must confess I am a bit pleased with this Tag and I think I have solved one problem that erupts around Christmas.

 Don't forget to take a look at the Cards Galore Challenge Blog and check out the DTs work which be showcased throughout the month of August. I was pleased to see that I was chosen along with my teamie  Barbara to be the first two Tags featured.


Thank you again for visiting and taking time to read my blog. Your time and comments are much appreciated.


Angela xx




Materials used
All cardstock, brads and ribbons are from my scraps
Stamps are from a freebie set from a craft magazine
Versa Color Ink -Gold
Coloured marker pens