ATC-Bird of Time

This ATC was made using Sarah Hurley's Steam Punk Kit. I love this kit because there's so much to choose from. I painted the background blue with an Aquatone crayon (I love these!) and cut out images from the kit to make up the ATC with. The clock face was painted over with Croco Crackle Paint, something I have but always forget to use. I'm entering this ATC in this month's Steam Punk challenge over at Happy Daze.  

For more inspiration from Sarah Hurley please check out the Look Book-it's full of fabulous ideas.

Folding Tree

There was a new swap over on UK Stampers this month (link in sidebar). We signed up to send a mini kit to our swap partner and look what Lynn sent me! A set of 60 small pieces of paper, all lovingly painted with shimmer on the back, to be folded and glued into a folding tree. Well I love fiddling about with bits of paper and had a fab time making this to hang on my wall. I'm now thinking of making a Halloween one, a Christmas one...the list could go on! Lynn's folding tree is on her blog- have a look, it's great!

Side view

Close up

On the wall

(For some reason it's a different colour in this photo!)

I'm linking this over at Handmade Monday- please follow me there to join in the fabulous crafting on show.

Not an inchie or twinchie!

I suppose I'll have to call it a one by three-inchie! I like working on small areas and this was a bit more of a challenge than my ATCs! The background paper is old journal paper sprayed with Cosmic Shimmer. The image was stamped over it then the words added. Couldn't resist the crown but I think I'll be taking the flowers off (they seemed like a good idea at the time!)

ATC-Solitude

I was spoilt for choice for this month's ATC swap on UK Stampers. We have to use a stamp that's never seen ink before-oh the possibilities! In the end I plumped for this Stampin' Up stamp. I've tried using it in the past but have never been able to get a good stamp from it. Don't know why because their stamps are usually fabulous. But- after much trimming of rubber,cleaning and practising I managed to get it to stamp. Have to say I love it now!

I sprayed the background with distress reinker and added a few flourishes before stamping the main image.

I think I'll be using this stamp more often now!

Art Journal

Another excuse to use my latest favourite stamp! This is an art journal page I did for a Magic theme for a circle journal over on UK Stampers. I don't know where the words came from but they were my first thought when I picked up the stamp to use! 

I cut the background of the man stamp out and stuck some red satin-y material behind it.

I just can't resist the look in her eye!

I'm sharing this over at Handmade Monday-please pop over and have a look at all the fabulous things on show.

ATC-Witching Hour Wall Hanging

There's something magical going on over at Sarah Hurley's Challenge Blog! This month's challenge is sponsored by Joanna Sheen and there's a £10 online voucher up for grabs for the winner. Who could resist that?
I've made an ATC wall hanging using the new Witching Hour kit. Yes, I know it's a bit early for Halloween but I couldn't resist it. I love Halloween and this kit has everything I need!

Please pop along and join in all the magical fun!

ATC-Believe

Trying to declutter the kitchen yesterday I found some scraps of paper lying around that I'd used as a mat when making other things. Instead of scrunching them up and thowing them away (as usual!) I decided to use them to make a collage background. I stuck a bit of homemade washi tape at the bottom and used a scattering of embossing powder to add a bit of texture. The image is one of my favourite Art Journey stamps. 

I must remember to use my scraps more often instead of just casually thowing them away!

ATCs-Fly High

This month's theme for the ATC swap over on UK Stampers is 1 2 3. I'd just got my hands on a brilliant set of stamps and couldn't resist using the air balloon. I painted the background with Cosmic Shimmer paint then inked over some sequin waste to make the circles. The air balloons were stamped on the ATC and the balloons stamped again on old map paper then cut out and stuck down. The words were highlighted with Glossy Accents.
Really enjoyed making these because I love the balloon stamp and I always enjoy sloshing paint around!

The set

I'm entering these in the Happy Daze Circling the World challenge. Please come along and join in!

Birthday card-Free to be 50

Things have been a bit hectic this month leaving me not a lot of time to do anything. My friend's 50th birthday came along and I realised I hadn't even had chance to make a card! I made this card using a new stamp (which I love and am now in danger of overusing!). As I had a spare image left over I made a notebook to go along with it.

Notebook

I'm linking these to Handmade Monday-please follow the link and join in.

Christmas Card and Tag

Last week I made a Christmas card and tag (well, it's getting very close!). I used Santa's Workshop CD by Sarah Hurley which was released last week. It's just perfect for all types of cards and Christmassy things! It's certainly helped me get a good start, although I must admit it's a bit weird getting into the Christmas spirit when the sun's shining outside!

I love the Jingle Bells sheet music and the snowflakes. I distressed the edges and rubbed them with copper ink to give a distressed look. I added a 3D sentiment and well, couldn't resist a bit of glitter!

Love this backing paper and all the lovely bright toys. I made this when I was staying away from home and all I had were the printed sheets.No glitter,no foam for layering but I have to say I really like it!

I'm linking over to Handmade Monday which I missed last week and can't wait to get back and see what the talented crafters have been up to.

ATC-Queen of Hearts

I made this easel ATC for the latest challenge over at ATCs and Cards with Attitude. I saw this image from LEJ Designs and just had to have her! I didn't want to use a small image as I felt she needed to stand out so I had a flick through some Craft Stamper magazines for some inspiration and saw an ATC easel card-how could I resist having a go! I can see myself doing these more often as it really opens up possibilities.

he image is coloured with Promarkers and the backing paper some scraps I had lying around that I embossed some swirls on. Come along and join in the fun. There are some digital images to be won.

I'm linking this to Handmade Monday as soon as it goes live this week. I love this weekly get-together of crafting people.

Canvas-Behind the Mask

The new challenge is up on Sarah Hurley's Challenge Blog and it's a fab one! The theme this month is to alter something. I've made a canvas using Sarah's Doodle Dolls Collage Pack which I love and can't wait to use in a bit of art journaling too!
I used Distress Inks for the background and a computer generated sentiment.

Come along and join in the challenge. It's now changed from a fortnightly challenge to a monthly one to give everyone time to work on an entry (we all know how real life likes to get in the way!) Not to mention the brilliant prizes to be won.

Postcard Swap-Childhood

The theme for this month's postcard swap over at UK Stampers is childhood. I remembered about these stamps a friend brought me back from a craft show (how frustrating not to be able to go myself!). I think they're by Paper Artsy. I thought they were ideal-they sum up teenagers so well!Or at least the one I have to put up with!

You can find the link to UK Stampers in my sidebar. I'm also linking this to Handmade Monday. Why not pop along and check out all the fabulous crafting blogs. 

Name Bunting

My son was complaining that I never make anything for him. I was practising with the Sarah Hurley Steampunk Digikit at the time over on DaisyTrail and found a template for bunting. I made this using the background papers and embellishments from the kit for him to hang in his room.

 He was thrilled! 

ATCs-Roses

I made these ATCs for the monthly swap over on UK Stampers (link in sidebar). The theme for this month is roses.The background's coloured with distress re-inker and a bit of a pattern added with red ink.The stamp is one I found tucked away at the bottom of a drawer when I was desperately seeking a roses stamps!

Here's the set altogether!

I'm linking this over at Handmade Monday  - please pop along and look at the fabulous crafting.

ATCs-Our House and Waiting

The new fortnight's challenge is up over on ATCs and Cards with Attitude. Our sponsor is Fresh Brewed Designs who is offering three digi images for the winner. The theme is Anything goes so please pop along and join in the fun!
I had two images to work with and couldn't choose between them so made two ATCs.

Our House

I coloured the houses with Promarkers and stamped a map onto my ATC before adding the images. Then the Madness song came into my head so I added the arrows!

Waiting

How could I resist this image?!This ATC was just a bit of fun but actually I quite like it. Just hope Johnny Depp gets the message!I'm entering this second ATC in the latest Little Claire challenge-follow the link and play along.

My first guest designer card!

The new challenge is up on Sarah Hurley's Challenge Blog and I'm excited to be taking part for the first time! The theme is Buttons and I used the Steampunk CD to make my card. I printed off all the papers,embellishments and wording and was thrilled to find a page of buttons too! I coated them with Glossy Accents to add a bit of shine. You can check out this CD and other fabulous Sarah Hurley Design products here.

The challenge runs over the next fortnight so please pop over and have a look at what the Design Team have created and join in!

Exciting News

I've been dying to tell everyone about this and tonight's the night!


I'm so excited to announce that Sarah Hurley's chosen me to be a guest designer for her. I can't tell you how thrilled I am to have this opportunity to work with her and her fabulous Design Team. I'm feeling very inspired and can't wait to get started. (I'm a bit nervous too!)


I hope you'll join me on this new journey.


I'm posting this over at Handmade Monday.I know it's not crafting but it's news!Pop over and see all the fabulous crafts and talented people there.

Birthday card-Gorjuss Girl

A quick make for a friend's daughter's birthday. Continuing my quest to root out long unused stamps I decided to give this one a whirl. I used a few scraps of paper as a bit of a background but in my rush stuck one of the musical pieces upside down!

Exploding box prototype!

I was flicking through a Craft Stamper last night and came across an exploding box by the fab Hels Sheridan.
I've never done one before but as my friend has a birthday coming up next week I thought it'd be a good idea to try a prototype to see if a) I could actually make one, b) how long it would take me and most importantly c) how stressed I'd be doing it!

The outside of the box

The lid

Inside

Centre greeting

Sentiments

Sentiments

Inside

Well I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it and it hasn't really taken me more than a couple of hours on and off. Now I know I can do it, I can set about doing the real one in good time for the weekend!

I'm entering this in this week's challenge at the new vintage blog Vintage Artisans. Come along and join in!
 I'm also linking it to Handmade Monday-come and join in with the friendly crafting community there.