Anything Goes at Eclectic Ellapu

Good morning my lovelies, can you believe it's May 1st already and a bank holiday here in the UK so of course rain is forecast lol. We've got a new challenge starting at Eclectic Ellapu and our theme this time around is 'Anything Goes'. My lovely teamies have got load of inspiration so if you've got time, pop over to the challenge blog and have a peek.

For my DT project I've made a page for my art journal using some old favourite stamps. I began by spritzing the card with glimmer mists. Once that was dry I added a little stencilling and a dusting of glamour dust for a little more fairy sparkle. I stamped the images which are some of my oldest wood mounted stamps from Stamps Happen using black ink and coloured them with Lyra pencils. I added some more sparkly by highlighting the stars with a silver Graph'It shake pen,

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Fussy and Fancy: anything goes

Incy Wincy: so so cute

Moving along with the times: Fairies

Simon Says Stamp: anything goes

Simply Papercraft: anything goes

Thanks so much for visiting today, hope to see you again soon

Claire xx

Anything Creative/Mixed Media Goes at We Love to Create

Good morning my lovelies, it's time for a new challenge over at We Love 2 Create and our theme is 'Anything Mixed Media/Creative Goes' just for a change lol. We've got a fabulous prize of some crafty goodies from Premium Craft Brands for our lucky winner and you don't even have to use our products to enter!

For my DT project, I've made a spring themed canvas using my PanPastels. I began by using a little Hansa Yellow and Bright Yellow Green PanPastel on a canvas board, I blended it with Colourless Blender to give a soft wash of colour. I applied the same colours on some white card but added more depth by layering the PanPastels and then spritzing with glimmer mists. Once this was dry I tore it into trips and applied it to the canvas. Next came some texture paste through a stencil and a spinkle of glamour dust for some sparkle.

I made the flowers using Foamiran which I cut with Sizzix and Sheena  Douglas dies,  I'm soooo loving Foamiran at the minute! I've used Yellow and white Foamiran for these flowers and added a little colour with gelatos. T

he foliage was made using scraps of the backing card die cut with Polkadoodles dies. I stamped the sentiment (from IndigoBlu) onto another scrap of the backing card with versamark and embossed with White EP and distressed it with a craft knife. I layered the flowre and foliage up over a scrap of cheesecloth and a paper doily. For a finish touch I added a few little raindrops by applying dots of glossy accents and using a cocktail stick to drag the drops to create a drop shape.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Brown Sugar: no image, just a sentiment

Frilly and Funkie: put on your inking cap

That's Crafty: Bright

Thanks so much for visiting today, hope to see you again soon

Claire xx

Hansa Yellow	Bright Yellow Green Pan Pastel	Pan Pastel Colourless Blender	Bright Yellow Green Shade	Sofft Angle Slice - Round Sponge
Birdhouse Doublet Die set

Spring Colours or Easter at Eclectic Ellapu

Hello my lovelies, how's your week going? I can't believe it's already 1st March, it only seems like 2 minutes since Christmas but hopefully March means longer days and warmer weather. It also means a new challenge over at Eclectic Ellapu where our theme this month is 'Spring Colours or Easter'.

I've made a card featuring a Spring scene using lots of different stamps. I began by stamping the dog (from Sheena Douglass) and masking with masking tissue. Then I used  a Clarity Stencil and some glimmer mists to create the blue sky and green hills. The clouds were made using a sponge and acrylic paint/ I stamped in the trees (from Chocolate Baroque). The foliage and mushrooms were stamped using Lavinia stamps and Memento inks. I coloured the dog with Lyra pencils and added some grass to bring the scene together. I used Gathered Twigs distress ink around the edges.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Addicted to Stamps and More: Anything goes

Crafty Cardmakers: go green

Paper Minutes: Spring

Paper Shelter: Animal Magic

The Crazy Challenge: We love animals

Thanks so much for visiting today, hope to see you again soon

Claire xx

Some of my favourite things

Hello there my lovelies, I'm back at work this morning after a long weekend off work but before I go I just wanted to share a project made using lots of my favourite things. The challenge over at IndigoBlu is 'Love is all you need' so I've used some of my favourite Indigo Blu stamps to make this little canvas. I've also used lots of embellies from Craft Box too,  Anna from Craft Box has a very special box of goodies on Hochanda today so if you have time do check it out.

I began by misting my canvas with mica sprays in shades of pink, once that was dry I used IndigoBlu fine texture paste to stencil in the chicken wire and left it to dry. I added some stamping using Memento Lilac Posies ink and the dinkie script stamp from the last IndigoBlu ODS. I filled some of the little shapes on the background with deeper pink mica spray and then added sparkly mod podge to others. I added a few blobs of sparkly ModPodge here and there too. I sprayed some Foamiran Flowers made using Sizzix Tattered Florals with mica sprays, this was a bit of an experiment and they took ages to dry but have a pretty subtle effect

I glued on the flowers, some lace, ribbon and pearl trim, adding some leaves that I'd painted with gold acrylic paint and dusted with glitter. I used stamps from IndigoBlu's Mr Darcy stamps and coloured with pencils before cutting out and layering on my project. I added some gilding flackes and a little more pink mica spray/ To finish off I've added some large hat pins decorated with Craft Box beads and a little cameo, also from Craft Box.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Crafty Cardmakers: add some texture

Dream Valley: add some metal

IndigoBlu: love is all you need

In the pink: Dies or punches plus pink

Lost Coast Designs: Lovers plus rubber stamps

Sweet Stampin: flowers

Thanks so much for visiting today, hope to see you again soon

Claire xx

Anything goes at Eclectic Ellapu

Good morning folks, it's our first challenge of 2017 at Eclectic Ellapu and our theme is 'Anything Goes' . My teamies have lots of lovely projects to inspire you so if you have time pop over and have a look.

I began by stamping the focal images (from Winter Fairies stamp set from Chocolate Baroque) and masking them with masking fluid. I stencilled the stars using a sparkly stencil paste and then stamped the trees and foliage along the bottom with versamark. I embossed with a clear sparkle embossing powder so that I could use a resist technque for the background.

I used a turquoise and a blue mica spray to create the background, adding a little depth with a spray made using Chipped Sapphire distress reinker and water.

Once the background was dry I removed the masking fluid and coloured the images with pencils.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Addicted to Stamps: Baby it's cold outside

Artistic inspirations: Anything goes

Colouring in Scrapland: Anything goes

Fussy and Fancy: Angels/Fairies/Winter

HeARTful stamping: Rubber stamping, anything goes

Thanks for popping by today, hope to see you again soon

Claire xx

Inspiration time at We Love 2 Create

Good morning folks, my project this morning is a memory box designed for our inspiration post over at We Love 2 Create. You've still got a week to enter our latest challenge which is 'Anything Creative/Mixed Media Goes' and our lucky winner will be in with a chance of winning some gorgeous crafty goodies from Premium Craft Brands! You don't have to use our products to play along either. As always my teamies have created some really beautiful projects so if you have time pop over to the challenge blog to check them out.

I began by covering my box with old dictionary paper. I added some stamping using this beautiful 'Jane' stamp from Indigo Blu. Next came some decoupage using bits left over from one of the lovely 6x6 Indigo Paper pads. Then I stencilled the roses using Fine texture paste and once that was dry I added some colour with PanPastels. I spritzed here and there with rose and brown mica sprays and added some more PanPastel, this time in Copper applied through a small flower stencil from Indigo Blu. Next I splashed on some brown paint and diluted a little paint to create a wash to add some shadows here and there.

I stencilled the edges of the box with versamark and dusted on Rich Gold PanPastel before adding some lace and pretty pink trim.

Last but no least I stamped the words 'precious memories' using stamps from the Indigo Blu Circus Alphabet with versamark on tissue paper and embossed with gold EP. I tore them out and attached to the box with Slap it on matte medium. To finish off I added some distressing using Burnt Sienna Shade PanPastel and added a pink bow topped with a resin rose and a little clock face charm.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Country View Crafts: make your own background

Frillie and Funky: enjoy your embossing

Indigo Blu: Anything goes

Live and Love Crafts: love is in the air

Moving along with the times: things with wings

Really Reasonable Ribbon: anything goes with ribbon/trim

Stamps and Stencils: Splatter, spritz and smoosh

Through the purple haze: things with wings

Thanks so much for visiting today

Claire xx

Permanent Red Tint Pan Pastel	Permanent Red	Bright Yellow Green Shade	Burnt sienna shade	PanPastel Rich Gold Metallic
Copper Panpastel

Splatters and Drips at Vintage Stamping Challenges

Good morning folks, we've got a new challenge starting at Vintage Stamping Challenges and our theme for February is 'Splatters and Drips'. We're a stamping challenge so make sure you ink up those rubber/clear stamps to play along (no digis allowed) and our lucky winner will receive a generous $20 voucher to spend at Flonzcraft!

I struggled a bit with this theme for some reason although I do love messy crafting. This was my last attempt lol. I began by stamping the focal images from the Flonzcraft stamp set 'Sweet Bird of Love' with versamark and embossing with Gold EP on cream card that I'd die cut. I then sprayed lots of glimmer mist over the embossing and let it drip down the cardstock.. Next I added some splatters of brown Tattered Angels glitter paint and left it to dry.

I used the same brown paint to give the birds a little definition and then added some stencilling with an Indigo Blu stencil and some gathered twigs distress ink. 

To finish off I've added a seambinding bow topped with a brass flower and a pretty bead and a brass bird charm.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Crafty Friends: animals/birds

Cut it up: love is in the air

My time to craft: love is all around

Moving along with the times: embossing

Sweet Stampin: Valentine

Wags'n'Whiskers: with love

Thanks so much for popping by today

Claire xx

Spring Flowers at We Do Doobadoo

Good morning folks, we're going to be having a little break at We Do Doobadoo so we don't have a new challenge as the DT are all very busy with lots of exciting projects. I've made a canvas using the gorgeous Octavia from Polkadoodles and lots of gorgeous Dutch Doobadoo goodies (you can find links to all the products at the end of this post). 

My canvas is very camera shy lol, the background was made with mica sprays in lilac, blue and turquoise but for some reason it looks a weird muddy colour in the pic so you'll have to use your imagination lol.

The image is coloured with Graph'it markers and Derwent pencils, cut out and adhered to the canvas is Maimeri Matte Medium. The background was stencilled with stars at the top and flowers at the bottom using Maimeri Iridescent paste and light modelling paste. While this was wet I sprinkled glitter on the stars. the flowers were coloured with Graph'It markers once the iridescent paste was dry. To finish off I added lots of delicate laser cut Butterflies from Dutch Dooabdoo.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges

Crafts Galore Encore: anything goes with a stamp or digi

Fairy Tale: flower power

Hannah and friends: anything goes

Simon Says Stamp: things that fly

Sister Act: anything goes

That's Crafty: Wings'n'things

Thanks so much for visiting today

Claire xx

Dutch Doobadoo Dutch Mask A5 Burlap	Stars Stencil Dutch Doobadoo	Flower swirl mask	Dutch Doobadoo laser art, butterflies	Octavia Moonfly - THE BIG KAHUNA Kit Digital Craft Download
Maimeri Light modelling paste	Iridescent Paste	Graph′It Markers

Sketchy new stamps from Chocolate Baroque

Good afternoon folks, I'm back to share a canvas made using some of this months new releases from Chocolate Baroque. I've used some of the flowers, leaves and dragonfly from Sketchy Doodle Landscapes and had a lot of inky fun creating this project.

I began by spraying the canvas with some spray inks (I used glimmer mists but you could use dylusions or even have a play with brushos for this effect) in shades of green, blue and purple and left it to dry. While it was drying I took some squares and rectangles of plastic from my stash and coloured with alcohol inks in toning shades. I also coloured some acetate with alcohol inks and once that was dry turned it over, dusted with an anti-static bag and then  I stamped the flowers, leaves and dragonfly with versamark. I embossed with WOW gold embossing powder  and then cut them all out.

To assemble my canvas I used PVA glue to adhere the plastic squares and dragonfly  to the background. To fiive the flowers a bit of dimension, I created little 'n' shaped pieces of acetate and used them to pop the flower up, this gives the flowers some movement and also lets light through through acetate to make the colours pop.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Clear it out: anything goes (Stash item Glimmer mists)

Craft your passion: anything goes

Happy Little Stampers: Embossing

Not just cards:  anything goes

Papertake Weekly: anything goes

Rhedd's Creative Spirit: anything goes

Southern Girls: sparkle and shine

WOW Embossing Powder: DIY Decor

Thanks for visting today

Claire xx

Trees with Autumn Colours at Fashionable Stamping Challenges

Hi there folks, I'm running a bit late with my DT card for Fashionable Stamping Challenges, its not bloggers fault this time lol. I thought the new challenge started next week, so I seem to have lost a full week somewhere. Anyway better late than never, our theme this time around is 'Trees with Autumn Colours' and we've got a fab prize of a $20 voucher for Flonzcraft so I hope you're going to play along with us. Don't forget we're a stamping challenge though so no digis allowed!

For my card I've made background using the cling film technique and distress stains/glimmer mists overstamped with some gorgeous leaves from Heartfelt Creations. The focal image is from Chocolate Baroque, stamped with Memento Rich Cocoa and coloured with both Graph'It markers and Inkense pencils. I've added some raffia lace, lots of leaves cut from scraps of the background card, some little berries and of course seam binding ribbon and a bow. 

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

A Creative romance: anything goes

Allsorts: based on a film title (The Birds)

Craft Room Challenge: Forest Friends

Crafty Calendar: leaves and lace

Fantasy Stampers: autumn colours

Sweet Stampin: ribbons and bows

Vandicrafts: Autumn

Well i've got the ironing done, cooked lunch, walked the dogs and tidied up I definitely think its time to get inky in my craft room. If you've got a minute do pop over to the challenge blog and check out my teamies gorgeous projects

Thanks for popping by today, hope to see you again soon
Claire xx

Skaters from Splodge Away

Good morning folks, hasn't it been beautiful weather over the weekend? I haven't seen much of it as I'm battling though loads of work stuff but I've got a week of soon, can't wait!! Anyway today's card is a little concertina book card made using some of the scrummy new masks from SplodgeAway, for this project I've used Ice Skaters and the lovely snowflake border.

I used white glossy stencil paste through the skater masks and the snowflake border, once the paste was dry I spritzed them with lots of glimmeer mists in blues and greens and again left it to dry. I matted the images on blue card and used a nestie to cut an aperture:

I've added lots of paper flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts and some lace and ribbon from the ribbon Girl

I'm entering this one in the following challenges:

4 Crafty Girls: anything goes

Happy Campers: show us your flowers

Hiding in my Craft Room: Lots of layers

LEJ Designs: winter wishes

Our Creative Corner: forgotten things (glimmer mists are mine)

Paper Shelter: multiple folds

Papertake Weekly: Make it sparkle

Sister Act: anything goes

Well thanks for visiting, its always lovely to see you

Claire xx

PS I've got some lovely Polkadoodles blog candy up for grabs,check it out here

SplodgeAway Tree mask

Good morning folks, phew another scorching day. My little craft room is sooooo hot I think I'm going to take my markers and sit in the garden and colour today. But before I go I wanted to share one of my SplodgeAway samples, this one features the ginormous tree from the SplodgeAway altered art kit. Its fab as you get the tree mask and the stencil too.  Pop over and check out the SplodgeAway blog as the DT are showcasing their favourite techniques and they have got some fab ideas

I've used an old piece of corrugated card as the base, layerd up with black gesso and sanded before applying Renaissance treasure gold. Next, an A4 piece of greyboard from some packaging was given a coat of gesso and then stamped all over with a Chocolate Baroque text stamp before a generous spray of Black Magic glimmer mist, I covered it with crumpled cling film and left it. Once this was dry I applied Maimeri Light Modelling Paste through the huge tree stencil, creating some texture with a palette knife. I left it to try and then added more treasure gold to the tree, some green gilding wax around the edges and lots of little red gems as apples. Sorry about the rubbish pic, this one shows the colours a bit better:

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Natalie and Amy's: trash to treasure

Simon Says Stamp and Show: Green

Tuesday Throwdown: anything goes

thanks for stopping by, have a lovely day

Claire xx

Steampunk Splodge Away

Good morning my lovelies, today's card is another SplodgeAway DT project, this time using the gorgeous 'Complex Frame' available of course from SplodgeAway. I had loads of messy fun making this project, you can imagine the colour of my paws when I'd finished lol.

The background was made simply by popping the mask on some matte gold card and spraying with black gold glimmer mist. Once that was dry I added my own 'frantage' type mix of EP,  gold and silver glitter, microbeads etc to the centre and heated it to set it all. The focal image is from Chocolate Baroque (Steampunk Travels), embossed on gold card and fussy cut with a glass cabochon over the clock face. You can see the detail a bit better in this pic.

To finish off i've added a black bow, a brass button, some screw head brads and a little key charm.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Deep Ocean: Lets Sparkle

Loves Rubber Stamps: anything goes

Make my Monday: something that flies

Ooh La La: Vintage/Nostalgic

Papertake Weekly: Anything goes

Stamping Sensations: embossing/texture

Thanks for popping by and for your lovely comments, they always make me smile although  I may struggle to smile today as I've got a trip to the dentist lined up and I'm having a tooth out!! How scared am I????  Eeeeeeeeek, I'm sure I'll be fine. If I tell myself that often enough I may believe it

have a good day

Claire xx

Family Christmas from Chocolate Baroque

Family Christmas is one of my favourite themeplates from Chocolate Baroque and this week it is on special offer (pop over and have a look here). I love the traditional images, perfect if you fancy an evening spent colouring :-). Pop over to the Chocolate Baroque DT Blog if you have a minute and 'meet' our new team mate Shirley, she is a lovely lady and mega talented too!

I've made a couple of quick cards using the stamps, this one features the gorgeous angel, she is so pretty I decided to go for a pink and white colour palette as a change from traditional Christmas colours. 

I used a shaped card blank and made the background using distress inks (Victorian Velvet, Spun Sugar and Iced Spruce) and the spritz and flick technique. I overstamped with the lovely Chocolate Baroque snowflake freebie from Craft stamper and embossed with a sparkly white EP, adding tiny pin gems to the centre of the snowflakes. I coloured the angel with promarkers and added lots of glamour dust for a bit of festive bling, she's been die cut with nesties and to finish off I added a little pink organza bow. I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Charisma Cardz: Christmas with a twist, no red,gold or green

Colour me Creative: non traditional Christmas colours

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge: Girly

Dream Valley: Non traditional Christmas colours

In the pink: its going to be a pink Christmas

My second card is more tradional, I've used a background I made ages ago by spritzing green glimmer mist on tapestry card. I used the same snowflake stamp and stamped with pearlescent ivy brilliance ink, adding red pearls in the centres with cosmic shimmer glue.

The gorgeous ribbon is from Crafty Ribbons  The image is coloured with Derwent pencils and promarkers, with dots of glossy accents to highlight the lights on the tree. 

I also stamped the sentiment (also from Family Christmas) next to the image. I've distressed the edges with my craft knife and pine needles distress ink and used dark green card for matting and layering.

I'm entering this one in the following challenges:

Addicted to Stamps: Christmas time

Card Crafters Circle: Bearing Gifts

Sparkles Forum Challenge: Christmas is coming

Wags'n'Whiskers: Christmas

Well thanks for visiting today, I hope you're having a good week 

Claire xx

Christmas Spirit at Chocolate Baroque

Hi there, Christmas has arrived in my little corner of the UK lol, Glenda has launched some amazing new Christmas stamps at Chocolate Baroque, so I've been busily getting into the Christmas spirit :-)

I love this stamp with the beautiful Christmas tree and the dog and cat silhouettes, isn't it fab? Its on the new 'Gift of Christmas' themeplate, which you can find here

I love to alter bottles and I thought this stamp would be perfect to create a little Christmas Spirit using an old Jim Beam bottle. Good job my son's mates all save me their bottles as I don't drink so I'd be stuck altering milk bottles lol. Anyway back to the details of my project. I painted the bottle with gesso (white where the snow is and around the neck and black gesso in between and left it to dry before giving it another coat. Next I brushed on some Multi medium matte over the white gesso and sprinkled with glamour dust for a little snowy sparkle.

To create the images I used pine needles distress ink and glimmer mists to colour some white card and then stamped the gorgeous silhouette and tree stamp four times and embossed with sparkly white embossing powder. Slight problem as I wanted the silhouettes to be black, fortunately my trusty promarkers came to the rescue and coloured the embossing beautifully. Next I cut the images out and added little dots of stickles for the fairy lights. I used multi medium to adhere the images on each side of the bottle. This pic shows the detail of the image a little better:

To finish off I added snow to the night sky using an Inksentials white pen and then added ribbon and lace around the top of the bottle. The lace was a bit tricky to position but a few blobs from my hot glue gun held it in place. The ribbon around the top has a border of holly leaves so I added a few little berries from my stash.

I'm entering my bottle in the following challenges:

Do you stack up: 4 legged friends
Gingerloft: Silhouette

Little Miss Muffet: Scallops

My Mum's Craft Shop: Christmas

Totally gorjuss: lacey, lacey

Winter Wonderland: Ribbon and Lace

Thanks for popping by today

Claire xx