Pearls At Tea Time

The Kit and Clowder Facebook page have been running a colouring competition featuring a freebie from We are 3.  This is my take on it.



Materials used: 
We Are 3 - Vintage Tea Cups (link on the Kit and Clowder Facebook page)
Imagine That Digi Stamp - Satin Fabrics - Digi Paper
acrylic sentiment stamp
black archival ink pad
glimmer paper
X-Press It card
Spellbinders Triple Floral Frame die set
A5 card blank
Copic pens

The image is printed on X-Press It card, coloured with Copics and cut with a die from the set.

A cream and a purple paper from the Satin Fabrics set is printed on Gimmer Paper and the mats cut and embossed from the cream coloured paper.

A purple pen is run around the edges of the card blank and a piece of purple paper attached leaving a border around the edges. The coloured image is attached to the mat and the greeting stamped onto the smaller mat. Both mats are then attached to the card front.
The competition runs until June the 3rd so there is still time to have a go. The instructions for claiming the free image can be found on the Kit and Clowder Facebook Page.

Thanks for visiting. Take care.

Pippa

Alchemy in the craftroom!

As part of my commitment on the Guest Design Team at Bugaboo Stamps I was asked to make a technique tutorial. I have never done anything like this so . . .

Just to make you aware of a couple of things before I dive in. Firstly this will be very heavy on photos - so much easier than trying to describe each step. Secondly this is a very 'warts and all' account and things did not exactly go to plan.

One of the disadvantages of digital stamp over physical ones is the lack of ability to stamp over some of the background techniques there are because the paper has to be able to go through a printer. If you print out the image first then it makes it harder to put in the background while avoiding the image.

I have pondered over this for a while and think I have a solution - literally - to the problem and that is masking fluid. (I expect many of you have probably already thought of it but this is a first of me!)

Print out the image on watercolour card. I have used Silhouette - Butterfly flowers



Cover the image with artists masking fluid and leave to dry. I used a circle die as a guide to get a crisper circle.



When the image is dry remove the circle die and start work on the background. I used Brushos to make mine. I chose the colours I wanted to use and sparingly sprinkled them on the card.



Lightly spritz the page until the Brusho crystals have reached the intensity you want. At this point you can add more crystals if you want to. Set aside to dry before carrying on.



When the card is completely dry gently rub away the masking fluid to reveal the printed image.
 















My plan now is to use Adirondack inks to add colour to the image mirroring the Brusho colours used.



Verdict - I don't like it!  However I know now that the masking fluid does work and will let me add a background while preserving the stamp so I may use the technique again in the future.

So I now have a coloured image which I do not like and need to redeem the situation. I decided to print out the image again, this time on X-Press It card and colour it in with Copics.



I am much happier with that. Final step to trim down the watercolour card and attach to the the front of an A5 card blank matted on gold mirri card. Cut out my coloured image with the circle die and attach it to the front of the card using foam pads and covering up the mess! Then adding the gold mirri card die cut greeting.


So not quite according to plan but I did learn that masking fluid would work and to always have a plan B just in case!

The next challenge would be to try the masking fluid on a more complicated image but that is for another day I think.

Bugaboo have two regular challenges on their Catch the Bug blog so why not visit and take a look, hopefully it will inspire you to have a go and enter yourself. Hope to see you there.

Thank you for dropping in. Take care.

Pippa

My Girl Lollipop

This is my entry for the Scrapper's Delights Facebook Page Progressive Freebie challenge.



Materials used:Scrappers Delights - Image available from Facebook Page
purple card
dark grey card
white card
X-Press It card
Copic pens
leafy swirl A4 embossing folder
acrylic greeting stamp
black archival ink pad

The image is printed out on X-Press It card and coloured with Copics before being trimmed, matted and layered on the coloured card.

The card base is made from a sheet of A4 card that has been embossed using a leafy swirl embossing folder.

The greeting is stamped with black ink and matted on dark grey card.

Thanks for dropping in. Take care.

Pippa

I  would like to enter the following challenges:
Scrappers Delights Facebook Challenge May Progressive
Di's Digi Designs Challenge - Tic, Tac, Toe 3 in a Row ( embossing/digi image/hand coloured image)
Crafty Friends Challenge #58 - Summer Colours
A Gem of a Challenge #194 - Spring Fever
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #58 - Anything Goes
Come and Get It - Emboss It
PIP Challenge 1721 - Anything Goes

Blowing In The Wind

The Art By Barb Facebook progressive challenge has a lovely image this month depicting the perils of hanging out the washing on a windy day!



Materials used:Art by Barb - Whoosh (request from Facebook Page)
X-Press It card
red card
brown card
fancy edge die
15cm square card blank
Copic pens
acrylic greeting stamp
black archival ink

The image is printed on X-Press It card and coloured with Copics.

A red frame is cut with the die and then the image trimmed and attached to the back.

The card blank is covered with brown card and the framed image attached on top.

Finally the greeting is stamped out on white card cut to shape and edged with a red Copic pen before adding to the card front using foam pads. 

Thanks for stopping a while. Take care.

Pippa

I would like to enter the following challenges:Art By Barb Facebook Progressive Challenge May
Crafting With An Attitude #27 - Anything Goes
Crafty Girls Creations #36 - Anything Goes (Just for fun)
Crafting For The Craic May - Anything Goes
Crafting With Friends #43 - Anything Goes
Creative Fingers #130 - Anything Goes
Simply Create Too #127 - Must Use A Digi Stamp
Simply Papercraft #46 - Anything Goes
Inspiration Destination #128 - Anything Goes
PIP Challenge #1721 - Anything Goes

There's still time!

There is just over a week left in the Stamping With Dragon challenge for May. The theme is Anything Goes with the optional twist of Fashion Action.



Materials used:Dragons Lair Designs - Vintage Lady Digital Pack
white A5 card blank
printer paper
cream card
X-Press It card
skeleton leaves
paper flowers
ribbon
feather
gem
Copic pens
gel pens
gold/silver pens
acrylic greeting stamp

The two papers I used are printed on good printer paper and the lady image on X-Press It card.

The image is coloured with pens then fussy cut. The card blank is covered with cream card and the two papers added leaving small borders around each one.

The coloured image is attached with foam pads and the greeting stamped on with black archival ink.

Finally the little bouquet is made up of leaves, a feather, flowers and a ribbon and attached to the card front with glossy accents.

Why not come and join us with an entry of your own. You can interpret it anyway you like and a winner of a store voucher will be selected by random draw.

If you need inspiration here are some useful links:

• Dragons Lair Designs Store - A fantastic range of digital downloads


• Dragons Lair Designs Inspiration Blog - Bookmark us and come back regularly for inspiration


• Dragons Lair Designs Challenge Blog - Challenges starting the 1st Friday of every month with different themes, please come along and take part


• Dragons Lair Designs Fan Group - Even more inspiration, challenges, freebies and fun activities


• Dragons Lair Designs Facebook Page - Please do pop over and "Like" our page


• Dragons Lair Designs Etsy Store  - Another location to get hold of our range of digital downloads


• Janette Padley's Creations on craftsUprint - Yet another location to get hold of our digital downloads


• Dragons Lair Designs Crafts Group - selling buttons and bits and bobs

 We'd love to have you join us in our Fan Group and post up some pictures of any creations you make using any DLD items.

Thanks for popping in. Take care.

I would like to enter the following challenges:
Inspiration Destination #128 - Anything Goes
Creative Moments #118 - Anything Goes
Penny's Challenge #329 - Anything Goes
Crafty Gals Corner #123 - Add Flowers
Crafty Creations #341 - Anything Goes

It's Meant To Be

This week's challenge at Catch The Bug is a bingo one. For my sample I have gone with the middle column.







Materials used: 
Bugaboo Digi Stamps -  Blank MIS frame wide and Meant to be floral
fancy frame die
Britannia flower dies
X-Press It card
orange card
glimmer paper
A5 white card blank
acrylic sentiment stamp
archival black pen
Copic pens
flat backed gems

The two digi stamps are arranged on the page then printed on X-Press It card before being coloured in with Copics. The sentiment is stamped at the bottom with the black ink.

The outer frame of the coloured image has been pricked and a black pen used to make the faux stitches.

The fancy mat is cut from orange card.

The flowers are cut from glimmer paper using Britannia dies then coloured with Copics before being made up. A gem is added in the middle of each flower.

The topper and flowers are attached to the card blank.  

A very dear friend of mine is getting married again today over in the USA. She is marrying her childhood sweetheart having reconnected on Facebook a while back. When she was young her parents had ended the relationship, it's a long story and one which I don't feel at liberty to go into details about. Just to say that the sentiment on the image fits the occasion so well that I had to use it for her and her new husband.

The challenge at Catch the Bug is open until Friday so why not come along and have a go yourself. All details can be found on the web site.

Thank you for dropping in. Take care.

Pippa

I would like to enter the following challenges:Crafting With Friends #43 - Anything Goes (just for fun)
PIP Challenge #1720 - Anything Goes
Crafting From The Heart #159 - Anything Goes
A Bit More Time To Craft #44 - Anything Goes
Artistic Inspirations #179 - Anything Goes
Crafty Gals Corner #123 - Add Flowers
Crafty Friends #58 - Summer Colours

Present Not Perfect (Take 2)

We are half way through the current challenge at Path of Positivity so time for another sample.

A couple of years ago my husband decided to enter the village horticultural show with some vegetables from the garden. Unfortunately he was not very successful but it got me thinking at the time and the challenge theme has brought it to mind again.

Most serious gardeners that enter horticultural shows take ages preparing their entries, be it vegetables or flowers. From seed to full grown specimen they lavish care and attention on their 'babies'. They grow many more than they need to enter and then select the finest of the bunch. Out of a bed of beautiful looking dahlias they may only find a few that meet the strict criteria of the competition. The blooms with perfectly shaped petals, no browning, correct uniform colouring, straight stems and so on. It is even harder to select if you are a vegetable grower, no bends, kinks or curls in the wrong place, everything uniform in size and shape.

As I consider the artificial feel to these 'perfect' specimens I am thankful that nature does not operate  under the same strict conditions. Our world would be all the poorer if everything were uniform and perfect. Let's be honest, how many of us take a walk in the countryside or visit the gardens of a stately home just to look at the 'perfect' flower ignoring the many that are less then perfect. I personally love the abundance of nature and if there are bends, kinks and brown edges to the flowers or the veg is a bit knobbly I don't mind one bit. It's the differences that make each of us unique and who gets to decide what 'perfect' is anyway.

So here is a basket of flowers for you to enjoy, if you look closely enough you will see that they are all slightly different but from a distance they all look the same. (I'm sure that comes from a song lyric!)



Materials used:Imagine That Digistamps - Freda's Flower Basket
A4 pink card
X-Press It card
decorative die set
Copic pens
printer card

The image and sentiment are printed on X-Press It card and the image coloured with Copics. Both are trimmed to required size.

The green paper from the set is printed on white printer card and cut with a die to make mats for the image and the greeting. Working out the positioning of the die to make the greeting mat took a bit of thinking!

The twisted easel card base is made from the pink card and the matted image and greeting attached in the relevant places.



The challenges at Path of Positivity are always 'Anything Goes' with the theme being optional so even if you are not inspired by the theme you can still have a go. The allocation of prizes is different for the AG entries and the theme entries. All the information is on the blog.

If you do follow the optional theme, be sure to add FT after your name so that we include you in the draw for the prize for Most Inspirational. We also ask that you please leave a comment letting us know how your creation relates to the concept of being present not perfect if it isn't readily clear within the design itself or clearly written somewhere else in your post.  You can simply write a sentence at the bottom of your post next to the link up for this challenge, if it would be easier. We just need to know how your project ties into the theme. Letting us know, clears up any ambiguity that may exist.

Remember, in order to be considered eligible for this month's prizes, ALL creations must be positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some nature. You don't need to follow the optional theme if you simply want to have a chance at the Random Draw prize of a $7 gift certificate from Pickled Potpourri, one of our guest sponsors this month. You only need to follow the theme if you want a chance to win this month's sponsored prize of a $10 gift certificate to the Imagine That Digistamp store, provided by the second of our guest sponsors this month.

Thank you for dropping by. Hope to see you at Path of Positivity this month. Take care.



I would like to enter the following challenges:Craft for the Craic May - Anything Goes
Crafting With Friends #43 - Anything Goes (Just for fun)
Creative Fingers #130 - Anything Goes
Simply Create Too #127 - Must Use A Digi Stamp
Imagine That Creative Playground May - Anything (Crafty) Goes

Love To Craft Midway Reminder

Can you believe we are half way through May already! Time certainly does seem to be speeding up these days. I cannot believe that my eldest daughter is 30 (how did that happen!) and my youngest brother is 50. My sample for Love to Craft is the card I made for him. His wife has been on a cooking course and has been making the most amazing sweet dishes which is good for  my brother as he has a sweet tooth. I thought a donut card would be just the thing, little did I know that as a result  of all the wonderful home baking he has been on a diet. Oh well at least these donuts are fat free!



Materials used:Bugaboo Digistamps - Clown 5 and Clown 0 (I cannot find these in the store so they may have been retired)
green and yellow card
X-Press It card
A5 white card blank
Copic pens

The clowns are positioned on the page and printed out on X-Press It card. The image is coloured with Copics then trimmed to size before being matted and layered onto yellow and green card.

Finally the topper is attached to the card blank.

The greeting inside said:







Why  not come and join in at Love to Craft Challenge for May. The theme is always Anything Goes and you can enter up to 5 times. It would be lovely to see you there.

Thanks for stopping by. Take care.

Pippa

I would like to enter the following challenges:
Crafty Friends #57 - Cute
Crafty Creations #341 - Anything Goes
Inspiration Destination #127 - Anything Goes/Optional Twist - Masculine
Addicted to Stamps #241 - Anything Goes
Penny's Challenge #328 - Anything Goes
Not Just Cards #44 - One for The Boys/Anything Goes

School Nurse Day

May 10th is National School Nurse day in the US. I don't think we have a day dedicated to school nurses in the UK although recently there has been a lot of talk in government, medical and education circles about the importance of the school nurse in the life of a school.

May 10th is also Humour Me Wednesday at Bugaboo Stamps. The samples in the post there cover a range of 'Celebrations' that fall during the week so why not hop on over to the Catch the Bug blog and take a look.



Materials used:Bugaboo Stamps - Brat Get Well Soon NurseX-Press It card
blue card
acrylic greeting stamp
archival black ink pad
Copic pens
scalloped edge die set
A5 white card blank

The image is printed on X-Press It card, coloured with Copic pens and cut out with a die. Then it is matted onto a larger die cut out of blue card.

The sentiment is stamped on the bottom of the mat and then the whole topper is attached to the card blank.

Thanks for dropping in. Take care.

Pippa

I would like to enter the following challenges:Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #57 - Anything GoesPIP #1719 - Anything Goes
Crafting From The Heart #158 - Anything Goes
Craft For The Craic May - Anything Goes
Artistic Inspirations #178 - Anything Goes

Whoops!

The third progressive challenge is well underway at the Limited Runs Facebook page featuring Elmo the Emu.



Materials used:Limited Runs Stamps - Elmo With Sign
decorative die set
brown and pink card
X-Press It card
decorative edged card blank
Copic pens
black micron pen
fancy edge cutter

Elmo is printed on x-Press It card and coloured with Copics. The  image is then cut using a die and backed onto brown card. Using the same die set a buckle is cut from pink card.

The pink mat is cut using a deckle edge cutter as is the brown strip. All the elements are arranged and stuck to the front of the card blank.
Thank you for dropping in. Take care.

Pippa

I would like to enter the following challenges:
Limited Runs Facebook Challenge
Crafting With An Attitude #27 - Anything Goes
Crafty Girls Creations #36 - Anything Goes
Crafting With Friends #42 - Anything GoesLil Patch of Crafty Friends #57 - Anything Goes
Come and Get It Challenges - Birthday Wishes

Bugaboo Saturday Challenge

Another week for the Bugaboo Challenge and this time it is Anything Goes.



Materials used:Bugaboo Digi Stamps - 4 Square Believe
X-Press It card
pink card
designer card
pink ribbon rose
pink feathers
15cm square white card blank
Copic pens

The image is printed out on X-Press It card, coloured with Copics and matted on pink card.

The front of the card blank is covered with a slightly smaller piece of designer card and the image attached off centre.

The ribbon rose and feathers are added down the side.

Thank you for dropping in. Take care.

Pippa

I would like to enter the following challenges:
Artistic Inspirations #178 - Anything Goes/Optional theme Cream and Brown
Crafty Girls Creations #36 - Anything Goes
Crafty Galore Encore - May Anything Goes
Your Scrapbook Place - May Anything Goes
Ike's World Challenges #87 - Anything Goes/Optional Angels and Demons
Crafty Sentiments Designs - Anything Goes
Crafting By Designs - May Anything Goes
Inspiration Destination #127 - Anything Goes/ optional twist Masculine
Penny's Challenge #327 - Anything Goes
Crafting With Attitude #27 - Anything Goes

Present Not Perfect

This month's optional theme at the Path of Positivity is an unusual one - Present Not Perfect. At first glance it seems a daunting theme to tackle but actually I think it is one that almost everyone can and probably has identified with at some point.

Present Not Perfect could be used to describe my life from the moment of conception onwards. When I was born I was a 'blue baby', the term describing babies with heart problems because of the blue tinge to their skin. So although present in the world I was by no means perfect. Thanks to pioneering heart surgery I did survive, scars and all.

Now I am aging and so is my far from perfect heart. Over the past few years the original repairs are needing further attention and help from a pace maker. But I am still present not perfect.

The image I chose to work with for my first sample reflects more my feelings about my crafting. I love stamping and colouring but never really felt it was good enough to share. Then I decided to do something proactive to improve my skills, especially as I got introduced to alcohol ink pens. I started an online class at Kit and Clowder and even though still in the early stages - it takes me ages to do a class - I have already learnt so  much. We are always the harshest critics of our own work but now I feel that even will lots left to work on an improve I can share my colouring and not feel too embarrassed by it. (If you want to find out more about using alcohol ink pens then Kit and Clowder have a free 101 Markers class which you can download from the web site.)

Some wise person once said that if you wait until things are perfect before doing anything you would never do anything. So my colouring, like myself, is now present not perfect in the world.



Materials used:Pickled Potpourri - Stampin Away
X-Press It card
black, blue card
A5 white card blank
printing card
image of Copic pens (from internet)
Copic pens

The image is printed on X-Press It Card and coloured with Copics, trimmed and matted onto black card.

The sentiment is computer generated and printed on white card, trimmed and matted on black card to match the image.

The backing paper is made from an image of Copic pens printed out on white card then cut slightly smaller than the front of the card, edged with a black pen and glued on.

The image and sentiment are layered onto a piece of blue card then attached to the card front.

The challenges at Path of Positivity are always 'Anything Goes' with the theme being optional so even if you are not inspired by the theme you can still have a go. The allocation of prizes is different for the AG entries and the theme entries. All the information is on the blog.

If you do follow the optional theme, be sure to add FT after your name so that we include you in the draw for the prize for Most Inspirational. We also ask that you please leave a comment letting us know how your creation relates to the concept of being present not perfect if it isn't readily clear within the design itself or clearly written somewhere else in your post.  You can simply write a sentence at the bottom of your post next to the link up for this challenge, if it would be easier. We just need to know how your project ties into the theme. Letting us know, clears up any ambiguity that may exist.

Remember, in order to be considered eligible for this month's prizes, ALL creations must be positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some nature. You don't need to follow the optional theme if you simply want to have a chance at the Random Draw prize of a $7 gift certificate from Pickled Potpourri, one of our guest sponsors this month. You only need to follow the theme if you want a chance to win this month's sponsored prize of a $10 gift certificate to the Imagine That Digistamp store, provided by the second of our guest sponsors this month.

Thank you for dropping by. Hope to see you at Path of Positivity this month. Take care.

Pippa





I am entering the following challenges:Jo's Scrapshack FFD #186 - Anything GoesCrafting With Friends #42 - Anything Goes
Creative Fingers Challenge #129 - Anything GoesCrafty Friends #56 - Anything Goes
PIP Challenge #1718 - Anything Goes
Crafting From The Heart #167 - Anything Goes