Upcycled Bottle

Good morning all.

An upcycled bottle to share with you today...no before photos but this started life as a humble chutney jar.

I was inspired by Annecke's tutorial at Paper Artsy and when this jar came out of the dishwasher I knew I wanted to use it.  I will have to make a few more curry's now to get the next jar emptied!

After cleaning and drying the jar I give it a couple of coats of Hint of Mint Fresco Finish acrylic paint using a foam applicator. Once dry I added a couple of coats of translucent Beach Hut Fresco Finish just dabbing it on with the foam applicator. The front decoration was made some time ago and I hadn't worked out how to use it. It is  a piece of acrylic which I stamped with JM09 and heat embossed with black detail EP. I then added red stickles  to the reverse and painted it with acrylic paint, this was attached with gel medium. I sanded the edges of the jar and rubbed some pearl metallic guilding wax over them in both teal and pearl. Red paper twine was wrapped around the neck to finish.

Challenges entered:

Paper Artsy - topic #10 bottles

All Crafts Challenge - anything but a card

Not Just Cards - anything goes

Altered Eclectics - anything goes

Miracle

Good morning all.

Well it's been sunshine and showers for the last few days, wonder what the weekend is going to bring! Not a Bank Holiday weekend up here in Scotland but since I don't work I'll maybe pop down home for the day on Monday and go to the local agricultural show.

The smelly silicon glue seems to have struck me again!! I used Collal the other day to stick my calendar together and whilst it didn't smell at the time it does now it's dry!! I opened a new tube for this card to stick the flower arrangement and again no smell from the tube but I can smell it now it's dry...not as bad as the Pinflair glue did but it's rather off putting to say the least....grrrr.

A card to share today using another of the gorgeous PPinkyDollsArt images, this one is called Miracle.

(The one I used on my calendar earlier in the week is called Lilith not Gigi in case you go looking!).

I've coloured the image with promarkers before diecutting with an oval nestie and layering onto a co-ordinating scalloped oval. Backing papers are from Prima. Lacy die is a Tattered Lace magazine freebie, butterfly is from Marianne Design an all other dies are Spellbinders. Flowers are from Petal Lu; lace from Creative Expressions; ribbon from Crafty Ribbons; leaves and bling from my stash. Sentiments are from LOTV and a magazine freebie.

Challenges entered:

Artbymiran -anything goes

Sister Act Card Challenge - anything goes

Stempelsonnen - anything goes

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper - anything goes

Crafty Ribbons - celebration with ribbons

Seize the Birthday - anything goes Birthday

Crafter's Cafe - square cards only

Paper Shelter - lace

Fan-Tastic Tuesday - anything square or rectangular

Tattered Lace - decadence

Christmas Card Club - Make a Scene

Good morning all. Yesterday stayed dry but overcast so I got the washing finished and managed a bit of crafting in the afternoon. We took Freya for a walk after tea half way home she lay down on the verge and wouldn't move until she'd been tickled for five minutes...she's such a diva sometimes! Unfortunately I didn't have my phone with me to take a photo.

It's time for our next challenge over at the Christmas Card Club, Lorraine has chosen "Make a Scene".  Here is my card:

Stamps are all from Creative Expressions and I've used Versafine and DI to stamp with, masking the images as I went. Dies are from Spellbinders.

You'll find the rest of the girls listed on my sidebar if you'd like to pop over and see their creations.

Challenges entered:

Stampin for the Weekend - anything goes

Stampin with the Dragon - anything goes

Stempelsonnen Challenge - winter

Crafting by Design - anything goes

Crafts and Me - anything goes

Creative Card Crew - no DP

Party Time Tuesdays - anything goes

My Time to Craft - masking

Polka Doodles - animals

Create a Scene - forest animals

Carol x

Christmas Crafting (with sketches) #64

Good morning all. Not sure what's on the agenda today, may have to go food shopping!

I'm up to 80 stitches on my shawl so only 35 rows more to knit :)

It's time another challenge over at CCWS and we hope you're playing along with us this year and stocking up on those Christmas cards and projects. It's the Snow Angels turn this week and it was Diana's turn to design the sketch this time. We are being sponsored by Scrap It and Wrap It .

Unfortunately I boobed when making my card and completely forgot we have to use a stamped image and not just a sentiment on our cards so my card doesn't count......so please don't copy me!!!

Stamp from Creative Expressions, stamped in Versamark ink and heat embossed with Detail Gold embossing powder. Die cuts from Spellbinders. Vellum backing paper and ribbons from my stash. Bow arrangement is recycled from a Christmas cracker and gold snowflake is a Christmas tree decoration.

You will have to pop over to the challenge blog to see the sketch for yourself, remember to check out

 the inspiration of the other DT members whilst you're there. 

Challenges entered:
CHNC Extra - anything goes
Christmas Stampin all Year Round - use patterned paper
Wags n Whiskers - go green
Art Impressions Stamps - anything goes
Sarah Hurley - recycle
Sassy Studio Designs - recycle
Cupcake Craft - it's only words 
Holly Jolly Christmas - white/vanilla plus one
Christmas Cards all Year Round - sparkle and bling
The Corrosive Challenge - all that glitters
Christmas at Sweet Stampin - no red or green

Carol x

Christmas Challenges (with sketches) #41

 It's time for our next challenge over at CCWS and we hope you're playing along with us this year and stocking up on those Christmas cards and projects. It's the Snow Angels turn this week and Angelique has designed the sketch this time; we also have a twist this week which is to mask at least two stamps. We are being sponsored by Elphine House Australia.

The three stamps I have used are from Creative Expressions, papers are from Bearly Mine.

You will have to pop over to the challenge blog to see the sketch for yourself, remember to check out the inspiration of the other DT members whilst you're there. 

Challenges entered:

Anything Goes - early Christmas

Bearly Mine - anything goes

Creative Card Crew - trees

Carol x

Bauble Scene

The Lady Divas at Less is More have asked us to use punches and dies this week - easy enough, I've got loads of both!! I set off at lunch time on Saturday to make a card, don't know what happened but I got waylaid and only finished this tonight!

Using my Spellbinders nestie baubles, the larger one has been embossed with a Cuttlebug snowflake folder, sanded and  dusted with shimmery chalk. The smaller one was cut from pearlescent card and whilst still in the die I've stamped using a Creative Expression Stamp and DI. As the stamp was too big to fit the area I masked off the sentiment before stamping. I've used DI to create a background and used stickles on the foreground. Card is finished with a tartan bow and a rather small sentiment!

Challenges entered:

Less is More - dies and/or punches

CHNC - create a scene

Stamp with Fun - shapes

The Crazy Challenge - use a die/punch

and since all the card came from my bit box I'm popping in the playground at

 Pixie Crafty Snippets challenge #8

Carol x

PS Don't forget I have blog candy up for grabs!

Christmas Card Club Think Thin

No I'm not being cheeky and referring to the extra pounds we usually gain around Christmas I'm talking pound notes - as in saving them at the post office next Christmas when posting out the cards. It was Keryn's turn to pick the theme and she asked us to make something which would pass muster for standard postage.

Stamp is from Creative Expressions and has been inked up in two colours. Image is matted and layered onto green then brown card stock then attached to Kraft base with DST. Card is finished with two embossed lines.

If you'd like to join our little club get in touch with one of us (list in side bar).

Challenges entered:

Craft Room Challenge - CAS

Heidi's Hobbystuggu - winter

Pixie's Crafty Snippets - all but the base card came out of my bit box

Carol x

Silhouette 2

I bought this set of Creative Expression stamps a while ago and whilst I've used some of the set these ones were uninked. I die cut a nestie square, stamped and masked the reindeer in black versafine then over stamped with the tree in bundled sage DI. Image was then matted onto a black scalloped nestie. A green bow finishes the card.

Challenges entered:

Less is More - silhouettes

Just for Fun - favourite technique (as a mere beginner this is more a technique I've managed to execute!)

Crazy 4 Challenges - black, white plus wow

Lets ink it up - favourite technique

Lia Stampz - for men

Carol x

Seeing Stars

Good morning all. Had to rise early today to let the plasterer in so had an early start crafting while everyone else slept. Checked out the new challenge at Less is More and found the ladies were looking for stars this week. A quick, simple card thought I - the design I've used a couple of times already and all I had to do was a bit of die cutting and stamp the star. Well this star was not for stamping - this must be my fifth attempt and it's still not perfect and the gold ink looks awful in the photo!

Smallest Grand Nestie square was die cut in white and a bauble shape cut out the centre, matted onto gold mirri card. Smaller bauble was stamped with a star image from Creative Expressions in gold and mounted on 3d foam. Finished with a small gold bow.

Challenges entered:

Less is More - stars

Pixie Cottage - go for gold

Simon says Stamp - anything goes

Bah! Humbug! - die cuts

Card Makin Mamas - die cuts

Well must go and get rid of some builder's dust from upstairs and sort the dirty washing ready to load this evening. Catch you all later.

Carol x

Blue Christmas

Stamp form Creative Expressions stamped in versamark and embossed with blue EP and I've then used DI to ink around image, cut out with a labels 8 nestie and mounted onto the next size label. Card is finished with some bakers twine.

Challenges entered:

Karen's Doodles - emboss it

Simon says Stamp and Show - one colour

Crafty Sentiments - no DP's

My Time to Craft - quite white

Sparkle Creations - no colouring

DYSU - trees

Fairy Fun Fridays - wet embossing

Phindy's Place - blue Christmas

One Stop Craft - no DP's

Sparkles Forum - Christmas song (Blue Christmas)

Carol x

Red and Green

I'm still at home! Spent most of the day waiting for a kitchen plan to materialise and will now have to spend tomorrow finalising it as it still needs tweeked somewhat - think I've got it sussed though and just hope the bloke pays attention!

Did have one bright spot today when postie arrived with a packet of ribbons which I had won courtesy of Crafty Ribbons last week - loads of narrow satin in all sorts of gorgeous colours :)

Any way onto cards, here's one I made earlier:

Made using baubles nesties, a Creative Expressions Merry Christmas stamp and a tartan bow. Simples!

The design is a happy accident as the first time I made it I intended embossing the larger bauble and realised halfway through the machine that I was using cut plates.

Challenges entered:

CHNC - baubles

The Paper Players - red and green CAS Christmas

Christmas Inspirations - diecuts or punches

Pretty Little Ribbon - anything goes

My Time to Craft - punches and dies

Carol x

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

I hope those of you who have been basking in sunshine over the weekend have enjoyed it, it rained here most of the weekend! My second attempt at Less is More, colour of your eyes challenge - my eyes are hazel so a mix of green and brown - I've gone for trees again:

Stamp from Creative Expressions inked in a mix of green and brown petal point inks, deer are coloured with promarkers. Image is matted onto green then brown cardstock and card is finished with green and brown ribbon. A perfect male card me thinks!

Challenges entered:

Less is More - colour of your eyes

Craft your Passion - anything goes with ribbon

Crazy 4 Challenges - anything goes

One Stop Craft - just for men

Simon says Stamp - anything goes

Carol x

Romance may not be dead

But it sure ain't alive and kicking around these parts! Today was our 23rd Anniversary, there were no flowers or jewels, the card was finally written at teatime but I did get taken to the garden centre where there was a Docraft demo on and was left to browse undisturbed, then a fish supper for tea - oh well a girl can't have everything lol

Well over in Limette land this week we're seeing double. 

This card has taken me all night to produce, it was such a simple idea which just wouldn't execute itself. This is my ninth attempt and I've simply stamped black on white as I couldn't find the right medium to colour with.

The Happy Birthday is from Clarity stamps and the perfume bottle from Creative Expressions. I've popped a black gem in the two corners to finish off.

Challenges entered:

Less is More - seeing double

Little Claires - black and white

Paper Play  - 2 or more stamped images

Carol x

Something New

Good evening all, hope you've enjoyed your day and had lovely weather like we have. Unfortunately I had some dreaded housework to do so didn't get much time to get out and enjoy the sunshine. 

Yesterday we had to go visit FIL and hubby suggested we eat at a farmshop enroute - I didn't need asking twice after all they have a craft department (guess hubby forgot this minor detail lol). Managed to treat myself to some new stamps (those girls at Bah! Humbug! made me do it), a distress ink pad and some glitter spray. Got one set of stamps out to play today and after seven failed attempts at stamping a decent image I stopped being frugal and mounted the set onto easy mount et voila I ended up with this:

Stamp is from Creative Expressions and has been stamped with onyx black versafine and embossed with clear embossing powder then mounted onto a black mat. Used black and white stardream to cut out the snowflake die, layered it up and mounted it onto a springy thing (so it moves) and attached to the gingham ribbon.

Coming from a family of male "Toon" supporters I don't think it'll be hard to choose a recipient for this card.

Challenges entered:

Bah! Humbug! - something new

Less is More - things that move (snowflake)

Winter Wonderland - cards for men/boys

Christmas Stampin - non traditional colours

CHNC - anything goes

Many thanks for all the lovely comments you leave, I do read and appreciate them all.

Carol x

Card for a Centenarian

Was the remit from my Mum to give a male aquaintance. I hope this fits the bill!

I've used an image and backing paper from Joanna Sheens Jayne Netley Mayhew CD all printed onto pearlescent paper. The gold mirri card is embossed with a flourish embossing folder from Creative Expressions. Sentiment stamp from LOTV. Card is finished with some ribbon, a bow, a button, some peel off corners and some gems.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Bunny Zoes - One for the Boys

Little Claires - Animals

And that's all for today folks, many thanks for taking the time to look and comment - I do appreciate it.

Carol x