FREE MARIE ANTOINETTE IMAGES

Just popped on to upload this ATC which I have created for Carol as she challenged me to a swap on 2 themes one being 'Rock the Clock' and the other being 'Marie Antoinette'

Here is Marie...fab image found FREE yes FREE on Blanca's blog see below for link.

Turn away now Carol if you dont want to see this ATC..rofl.

Here she is headless....




And here she is legless lol

Hope Carol likes her...I am loving her and may have to make one for myself too.

thanks for looking.

Don't forget Gaby's challenge for this month 'Peeling Paint Backgrounds' some of you already put yours on your blog... well done I am out later to buy Vaseline.

Our May ATC Challenge from Gaby xx

The 1st of May and another challenge has been set for us by our lovely guest designer, self taught multi-media artist Gaby.... this lady is soooo talented please be sure to check out her blog over H E R E



Scroll down her pages and see some of her AMAZING artist trading cards... OH, those rust miniature ATC works of ART are to die for.


Now then anyone who knows me will know I LOVE backgrounds and Gaby has set us a background challenge for this months theme, I myself have never tried it and so out of my comfort zone once again, lol :))


Over to Gaby....

For those of you who don’t know me yet, I’m Gaby from Germany.

I am a self-taught mixed media artist. I have a lot of interests, with a focus on collage.

This form allows me to use so many different methods and materials. My art is spontaneous.

I like the creative process, layering of many different materials including paint, ink, paper, photographs and found elements.

I love all kinds of art, but my special love is the ATCs. I’m always interested in new techniques and challenges, so my art can continue to evolve… only my everyday "job" sets the limits...

It’s a real honor to be invited as May’s guest designer. Thank you Chriss!

My theme for this month is “The Peeling Paint Technique” that Claudine Hellmuth popularized in her College Discovery Workshop book.

I really love this peeled paint effect and I use it often for the backgrounds.

A short explanation for those who don’t know this technique:

First Step, apply a base coat of paint on your card stock.

Wait for paint to dry fully.

Than apply petroleum jelly intermittently over surface areas, covering areas that you want to expose when the paint peels during a later step.

Apply the petroleum jelly thickly enough to cover the surface that you want to peel. You can use your fingers or a paintbrush.

Paint over the entire surface using a different color of paint. . Allow the paint to dry.

Apply a second coat if desired.

Remove the petroleum jelly, using a soft cloth or paper towel.

The second colour of paint peels off at the same time.

Clean the surface to remove lingering traces of petroleum jelly.

If you like, seal your surface with an acrylic medium such as Golden medium.

Decorate as desired.

You can apply the petroleum jelly over a collage or piece of art work, and then paint over top.

However, you must seal the collage surface first with a coat of acrylic medium. Otherwise, the jelly soaks through your paper.

Have fun!

Have a good one, Gaby

Thank you Gaby it is an honour that you have agreed to be our GD for May 2010.

Thanks Gaby for the tute I can see the sales of Vaseline going up this month...lol.

Time for a huge thank you to Patty for doing us the honour of being our guest designer for us last month, Patty you did us proud, your ATC's arrived and IRL they are even more wonderful xxx

I am thrilled to say that Patty is now one of our newbie club members so we will be seeing more of her work. :)

Welcome to our new followers and thank you for the millions at least it feels like millions of enquiries from new readers about our club, I have been kept very busy this month behind the scenes.

All Swaps have now gone out... I held back on the international ones due to the Iceland troubles so you should get them soon.

We have a lovely sponsor for this month, Fay who runs an Ebay shop selling blank ATC's, inchies, twinchies, rinchies and much more however she is away on business at the moment and has closed her shop until the 9th May.

We will be putting her delightful blog candy grab bag of goodies up then so do pop back on the 9th.

When you have created your ATC's please put them on your blog and leave a comment on this post so that we can come and visit you I do hope that I didnt leave anyone out last month.

Thank you to all who pop over to visit each others blog when they have posted their ATC's.

Wishing you all a brilliant Bank Holiday weekend.

Thanks for joining us.

Blog Candy Winners

No Marley today, football calls and so we have RANDOM GENERATOR to do the honours.

Good Luck everyone.

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

12....... The stamps

7..........an ATC from me

4 .........an ATC from me

Timestamp: 2010-04-24 07:48:49 UTC

Even I do not know at this point who has won.

I am off for a look now.

Have a great weekend

March ATC challenge is here...come join in x

Update .... The winner of this fabulous print which was up for grabs on the 'Cookie Doodle' challenge is on its way to live.....

H E R E....please click on the link...... Congratulations, you need to make a space on a wall and enjoy.

Back to our challenge
It's the beginning of March and another great ATC guest designer and blogging friend has joined us this month, some of you will already know Nancy, she has that wonderful challenge blog 'GOTHIC ARCHES,' Nancy updates a fab new challenge for us every Sunday ....
....you can find it H E R E.

Yesterdays challenge on GA was set by a very talented lady... Lynn Stevens her theme being 'Paris Exposition' .
Why not pop along and join in with her this week you will love it, it's a great shape to work with.


For those of you who do not know ...this is the lovely Nancy

Hello!
I am a dabbler. I love to create using all sorts of mediums.

Pattern papers, rubber stamping, fabric, wood, assemblage, collage, altered art, a never ending smattering of whatever strikes my fancy in whimsical moments.

I find creating allows my soul to be fulfilled and love to spend hours in the studio.
Love Nancy x

Nancy, has been so kind as to sponsor this months challenge by offering her plate of 'SEASIDE' stamps.... you can find them H E R E and as always to be in with a chance to win them please pop over to the link above.... find the price of them and email me the correct answer....

Also please leave a comment saying you would like to be entered in the draw... the names will be put into a hat, vase, box whatever I have to hand and the winner picked out by Marley, my DGS.... he loves that job :).

Your chance of winning Nancy's gorgeous give away closes on Sunday 7th March Midnight UK.... GOOD LUCK EVERYONE.

Okay back to this months challenge on our ATC blog ....SWAP 'TIL YOU DROP and as spring is in the air...(in some parts of the world lol) alot of us will be thinking of our gardens... me for one as this will be my first year with a garden in a long time.... Nancy has chosen the theme ' Garden Fairies' for us and has created 5 gorgeous ATC's using digital images from 'Paper Whimsy'

How would you like to take on this challenge and be in with a chance of owning one of Nancy's fab ATC's?

What do I have to do I hear some of you ask....

Easy Peasy...I cry...

Just create 5 ATC 's on the theme of ' Garden Fairies' ....send 4 into me to be swapped and keep the other one for your own collection.

Once you have created them and IF you have a blog please post them and leave a link to us..

tell us you have posted them and we will come and visit you.... you know we all like to come and see what you have created :)

Any more questions then PLEASE contact me on the addy in the header.

I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS CHALLENGE AND HOPE THAT YOU ARE TOO.

The closing date for the ATC Garden Fairies challenge is 31st March.

A big thank you to Donna our Guest Designer for February's challenge 'Cookie Doodles'.

The winner of her fab Sketch will be announced a little later on on this post.... I will update the post.

An apology from Jenny.

Hello Chris,

I've just gone on to the ATC website and think I've been a bit ungracious. I'm not a fan of Blogs, but then I don't really understand them. So I thought I'd check on some of them.

ok I can see that it is fascinating to see what other people are up to and understand your comment about feeling closer to folk who join in the challenges.

I'll have to get my sons to get me started, But i'm last in the pecking order on the computer

I'll look forward to the March challenge.

Bye from Jenny.

Thank You Jenny x

Winners of my OWOH gifts yet to be announced sorry I am a bit behind on that one i have drawn it and its in a draft ready to post.

The winner of the 6 ATC's for the 30,000 Visits to our ATC blog is......

H E R E click on the... link is it you?

Will post a pic of them later when I have a new scanner... me thinks that scanning 34 sets of Zetti ATC's made it down tools.... lol.... I just bought 3 sets of new inks for it... okay they were compatibles ....put them in and CLUNK.... dead..... Hope that the company will exchange the inks for inks to fit my new one.....cos that's an awful lotta of rubber stamp money :( if they won't.

Another long post and if you are still with me...T H A N K Y O U :)

Hope that by now everyone has received their Zettie ATC's x

Chriss x...hope that I have not forgotten anything.

Guest ATC Designer over at SCD

Happy Friday and hey I am so excited as I have been asked to be this months Guest Designer over at Something Completely Different you will find them H E R E... When Carol asked me I thought... ME! ....Do you really mean me... well once I knew she meant it I jumped at the chance and I am thrilled to join SCD design team for the month of February taking on the challenge of creating 4 ATC's on a set theme 1 a week... well I love a challenge don't I.

Thanks for asking.


The challenge this week is MAD MARCH HARE well I have hundreds of stamps but not one single stamp to do with Alice, (Alice who the hell is Alice?..lol) and so as not to be beaten here is my take on the challenge....


'3 WISE MEN AND 1 MAD HARE'


Both the wise men and the hare stamp are those of Crafty Individuals.

Carol who runs SCD has also suggested and kindly agreed to run an ATC swap at the end of the month.

So the creative team on SCD hope lots of you will take part.

Join in the fun and upload your ATC onto your blog and we will come and Visit.

At the end of the month send Carol either 1,2,3 or ALL 4 ATC's with an S.A.E., (large letter stamp)and you will receive 1f or 1 back. A little piece of someone elses creativeness dropping through your door :)

Contact Carol via the email link on her blog and she'll send you the relevant info.

I was playing with 2 of my gorgeous Tanda female stamps last night and just thought that I would share them with you click on H E R E and visit Tanda see what other lovely goodies they have.

Ok and a very Happy Birthday DD Cheryl... we are having a girls PJ crafting party tonight with lots and lots of creative goodies and challenges going on and fab food, wine and lots of chocolate..don't you just wish you could be there. lol.

Sorry a little late posting this I didn't get the blogging clock right ..hopeless at that sort of thing.

Have a great weekend.

Chriss x

ONE WORLD ONE HEART GIVE AWAY 2010

This is my very first time I have taken part in this fabulous event.

The One World One Heart give away event was started by Lisa a few years ago to bring

bloggers from around the world together who would never ordinarily meet :D

What a fab way to make new friends and also be in with a chance of winning some amazing goodies from those that take part.

If you'd like a chance to receive one of my little giveaways then why not hop onto the magic carpet and join in with the fun.

My giveaway is open to ANYONE but you MUST leave a comment on THIS post to be entered into the draw.

If you don't have an active blog then you must include your email address in your comment so that I can contact you should you be a winner

The winners will be notified on or immediately after 15th Feb which is when the draw will take place.

Here are my offerings

1.... one pair of fun loving unique handmade earrings

2... Once again it's unique and handmade this necklace is in pretty pink glass with silver metal and turquiose beads

Good Luck xxx... and if you'd like to know more about this event and/or would like to take part yourself...

then you can find all the info you need right here.

Thanks to Lisa for organising this great event.

Chriss x

NEWS UP DATE, Keys and Zetti ATC's

Hope that you have all had a Happy Sunday x

Here are some more Key ATC's and still a few more to come however the 1st ATC is one of my Zettiology ATC's that can be found over HERE



Key ATC's

Still another of Gini's to be shown next time. Get well soon Gini from all of us here.

Thanks to Sharon and Gini.

The blog candy winners for Hermines stamps should look out for them as they have been despatched to you...lucky you x

Thanks for looking

Chriss x

UPDATE,
KAREN OF SCRAPZ IS BACK IN TOWN WHY NOT POP OVER TO HER BLOG AND SAY HI, SHE HAS SOME NEWS, HER BLOG LINK IS ON THE RIGHT.

JANUARY 2010 ATC CHALLENGE and BLOG CANDY.

H A P P Y N E W Y E A R

A huge welcome to our very talented ATC designer for Jan 2010, hey where did last year go?

Some of you may already know Hermine, I found her on my first day of setting my blog up and have admired her work ever since, she is a great inspiration to so many and a wonderful blogging friend too.

Our 1st challenge of 2010 is... Z E T T I O L O G Y .....AND I AM SHAKING IN MY BOOTS...LOL.. AS LIKE MANY OF US IT TAKES ME WAY OUTSIDE OF MY COMFORT ZONE.
But we all love a challenge ....don't you agree.... I hear you groaning and calling me names, haha... just don't call me too early in the morning...lol.

Below is a small Bio from Hemine....

Hi,
I am from The Netherlands.

I love doing arts and crafts as long as I can remember and I love to do many different things, like mixed media, rubber stamping and my latest addiction is felting.

I have been published many times in the Art Specially Magazines, Art Specially books and was featured artist in Craft Stamper.

I am designing rubber stamps for Joan Gevaert Rubber Stamps and Scrapbooking under the name STUDIO Art Stamps and last year my dream came through, I made a book called Hermine's Choice.

The ATC's I made for this challenge are all made with my own designs, except for the script and scratches.

After watching Teesha Moore's You Tube film I simply had to try this technique with stamps only.

Me again,

See Hermines Zettiology ATC's for this challenge she has used all of her own stamps and I think you will agree they are fabulous.... the stamps and the ATC's.

If you would like to watch Teesha Moores video then YOU CAN FIND IT ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE BLOG.

Thank you so much to Hermine for being our Guest ATC Designer for Jan 2010 xxx

Why not pop over HERE to see her amazing blog BE WARNED THOUGH YOU MAY NEED A CUP OF TEA AND CHOCOLATE BISCUITS...LOL... AS YOU WILL BE THERE SOME TIME.

UPDATE

If you would like to be in with a chance of owning one of Hermines Zetti ATC's please join in the fun by creating 5 Zetti style ATC's send 4 into me to be swapped and keep 1 for your own collection.

BLOG CANDY

We have some F A N T A S T I C blog candy up for grabs and all have been designed by our talented artist Hermine....there is the lovely

'Free to be me' plate and the 6 stunning Twinchies below... they have soooo kindly been donated by Joan over HERE and because she was so generous I have decided to split it into 3 prizes....YES 3 fab prizes..... so don't delay keep reading and find out just what you must do to be in with a chance of winning some of this blog candy.

To be in with a chance to own some of this fantastic BLOG CANDY pop over to Joan's shop and find out the price of the 6 gawwwwgus TWINCHIE stamps.

put the answer in an email to me and leave me a comment to let me know you are taking part...remember the total price of all 6 is in Euro's.

I have never seen so many different style of stamps on one online shop....such choice.

GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL. X

The 1st prize will be the large plate and 2nd and 3rd prize will be 3 twinchies each.

Closing date for the blog candy is midnight UK time 05th January


Thank you soooo much to Joan for her very generous blog candy.... Good luck Everyone...what are you waiting for?

'Put your heART in it' ....is to be our 'Swap 'til you drop' logo.... an ATC I created sometime ago for our Russian doll challenge. Not normally a pink girl but I do love her.

Please help yourself to our ATC logo above.

Thank you to Sue for our fab 'WINTERS DAY' Dec '09 challenge, you did us proud.....we are waiting for a few International set's of ATC's to come in but they should all be out to you by the 12th.

Wishing you all A Healthy and Happy 2010

Thank you for all the support and swapping throughout 2009.

In 2010 we will be doing more online challenges again.

Welcome to our 8 new followers.

Crafty luv coming your way

Chriss x

KEY ATC SHOWCASE.

Hello and welcome to the showcase for our 'KEY 'ATC challenge that was set in November.

Lorri kindly offered to be our ATC designer for the challenge even tho her mum was very poorly.

Sadly Lorri's mum passed away from cancer , Lorri I know I can speak for all of us when I say we are so sorry to hear your sad news and that we send our love to you and your family.

Take care Lorri and remember all those happy times you shared.

The start of our Key ATC's come from jeanie

Thank you Jeanie. x

Hi Cheryl,

Thanks again for taking part x


Hello to Sheila J,

I would never have thought of The Florida Keys, thank you x


Hello to Carol,

There is still another 2 of yours to come Carol, thanks x

In My last post I said there was still the last of the Halloween swaps to come and for some reason I thought that there was more but after looking through the file I see we have shown all 20 sets of them,

A HUGE THANK YOU to you ALL well done, please give yourselves a pat on the back I think this is the most we have had take part in anyone challenge THANK YOU I was thrilled to receive sooo many.... and not forgetting Martina our October ATC designer.

Hope that you all had a lovely Christmas..... I also want to thank so many of you for taking part in the December challenge 'A WINTER'S DAY' considering just how busy you all are...there is still time to get yours in if you want to take on the challenge just let me know that they are on the way.

We will be back again soon with our Jan 2010 Challenge and I may even get another post in with more Key ATC's to show you before then.

love Chriss x