December 25th is coming....

December 22nd 2013

A card made quite some time ago using a little bottle cap image from Paper Imagery Designs and spirelli xmas trees - Spirelli templates are from CS Designs - and an embossed background. I think I took this with my old camera so the photo is not as good but you can still get the xmas cheer!!!

Think Pink

May 26th 2012

I've made this little easel card today for several things - firstly it's Beverly's "Fourth" Year Pink Saturday Birthday Celebration so I am linking my card to her blog!

And I've discovered a new challenge blog "Link Up For Pink" - for Breast Cancer - a great cause! I have a friend who has just finished treatment so I just had to join their new challenge!

Their challenge is psonosred by A Day For Daisies so I've used the "Bewildered" image again and constructed my card with pink card and patterned paper and a sentiment from CS Designs. I made the little pink ribbon with pink diamanti! I used a Spellbinder Die Cut set to cut out the image and frame - I love this fancy shape!

Believe in Yourself

May 25th 2012

I made a card some time ago using this Herringbone Technique (instructions at Splitcoast Stampers) and loved the effect of it so I decided to make this Black/White /Yellow card with a sentiment from CS Designs and butterfly collage image from Art Tea Life.

I think this technique is a great way to use up scraps of patterned and coloured paper too!!

And remember the colour challenge at The Cheerful Stamp Pad is Black, White & a Touch of Yellow!

More Vintage Page Designs Kit Inspiration

May 24th 2012
As you know this month I am one of the Guest Designers at Ali Manning's Vintage Page Designs. Ali has the most wonderful vintage pages kits available to purchase - check out her store.

I have been having a wonderful time creating with the old book pages. Here are some more of my creations which use pages from the Bird Kit as well as Ali's Foreign Book Pages.

A raven tag:

And below a CAS card using the bird pages to cover a cardboard cut out. Sentiment on the card is from CS Designs:

And a little "Nip & Tuck" Card using the pages of foreign text to make the flower:

I can see you!

May 23rd 2012
I made this card for the new colour challenge at Smudgy Antics - you had to use at least 3 of the colours on the colour palette & I used the 3 shades of green (plus I added some red).

Solitaire Monocle & Swirl design and Spirelli shape are from CS Designs.

A Frame of Mind

May 22nd 2012
A brand new challenge at Art With No Boundaries for the next fortnight - we want to see you use "frames" on your creations - I'm sure you will all come up with some amazing inspiration for this one!

The Designers have used some new designs from CS Designs this week - I have used the "Striped Circular Petal Frame" to make this soft pink Asian Themed card and I have framed the "Framed Geisha 2 Design" also from CS Designs.

I used a beautiful variegated serviette to "cover" my white base card, I cut the centres from the Circular Frame and placed the Asian Geisha behind the large frame. I wrapped metallic thread around the smaller frames and added some torn textured paper and Japanese flower stickers to complete the front of my card. The frames & Geisha image have been coloured with Copic Markers.

Remember you have 2 weeks to enter our challenge! And our DT Call is still open - you will find all the details on the challenge blog!

I am also entering my card in the current Divas by Design Challenge Blog as they have a "Tickled Pink" challenge!! And I've also entered it at Make it Monday in their Anything Goes Challenge!

Steampunk at So Artful

May 19th 2012

Our new theme for this next fortnight is "Steampunk and/or Earthy Tones" - make sure you head over to the So Artful Challenge Blog to see the other DT Creations - which are amazing and also to add your link so we can see what you come up with!!!

Camouflage is a game we all like to play...

I made this wall hanging using designs from Chris at CS Designs - firstly the image is "Steampunk Solitaire" and the Spirelli Cut Out is from her fantastic Spirelli Kit. I went a bit "alternate" & used rubber bands to make the spirelli pattern instead of thread - I love the effect - something different! The background is a "Clocks" embossing folder which I love to use with my Steampunked creations! I made the Camouflage quote & added screw look brads and some fibre to make a hanger.

I am also entering this creation at the "Raise the Bar" Challenge Blog as they have a "Military / Patriotic" Theme and my "camouflage army looking" design is perfect for this!!! Also Pixie Dust Studio have a Steampunk Themed Challenge this week too so I am entering there as well!!

All Tied Up

May 15th 2012

A reminder that you still have a week to join our "Fit to be Tied" Challenge at Art With No Boundaries. Remember to read our updated rules before you link up!! Remember for this challenge we want to see some form of "tieing" on your creation using string, thread etc but NO ribbon or lace.

For this card I have used on of the images from the CS Designs "Haunting Apparitions" Series - "Dementia". I've used another great Spirelli shape from the CS Designs Spirelli Kit and this time I decided to go with a simpler "wrapping" on the shape to show that simple can look really effective too and the image was only given a bit of red colour with my Copic Markers. I love this image - very striking and eye catching!

ATTENTION: Chris is having a Design Team Call and is on the look out for some "creative & artistic" people!! You can check out the details here: CS Designs DT Call.

Fit to be Tied!

May 8th 2012

A fantastic new theme for our challenge at Art With No Boundaries - lots of possibilities and I expect lots of "interesting" creations!!! We want to see creations with some sort of tied element using string, raffia, thread, wire etc but NO ribbon or lace!!

For this fortnight the DT are using the "Spirelli Kit" from CS Designs - make sure you visit the store and check out this fun kit- you can really let your imagination go wild with this set of Spirelli Shapes!

I've used a square spirelli for this project and one of my favourite Darlings of the Orient Designs "Masami - Beautiful" also from CS Designs. All the papers on this card are from my stash of Japanese Papers - I just love these gorgeous papers!!

ATTENTION: Chris is having a Design Team Call and is on the look out for some "creative & artistic" people!! You can check out the details here: CS Designs DT Call.

Recycled Plastic!

May 1st 2012

Wow what a great response we had to our very first challenge at "Recycle, Re-Purpose & Re-Invent" last month - thanks so much to everyone who joined in - we hope to see your creations again this month for our new challenge!!

Bonus Round PRIZE!!

Our new challenge is to recycle something plastic - what interesting plastic object can you recycle??? By using a plastic item and letting us know what it is you will be eligible for our Bonus Sentiment Prize!! If you just want to play along and show us your recycling skills with what you have on hand we would love to see your "Anything Goes" recycled creations too. So you can link up any recycled project plus you can enter our bonus challenge and have the opportunity to win the prize!!

I've recycled a plastic moisturiser lid, in fact most of the elements on my hanging are recycled - the black straps are from a broken necklace, the beads have been "floating" around my craft area for quite sometime and the starfish are from some form of broken object.

I use a great Aquatic themed image "Sea Nymph" from CS Designs and printed it on watercolour paper them used an Aquawash pen and watercolour pencils to colour the image. I caoted the image, starfish and lid with a clear blueish glittery paint to add some sparkle.

I can't wait to see what everyone can come up with for this new challenge - and remember by recycling you are helping save the planet plus it's a lot of fun to see what you can create with bits & pieces!!!!

The Sun is Shining

April 29th 2012

A reminder post for our "You are my Sunshine" Challenge at Wicked Wednesday. I've made this ATC using images and a sentiment from Chris at CS Designs - I love Egyptian style anything!! I have used Smooch to add the colour to the images.

We would love to see your interpretation fo this theme - you still have a few days to join in and the chance to win an image from our sponsor!

Believe in Yourself!

April 23rd 2012
Some more inspiration for our Anything Goes Challenge at Art With No Boundaries - please remember to read our rules before linking up your creation!!

I've used another great Solitaire image from CS Designs - Mysterious Butterfly along with some cute little butterfly graphics from Dezinaworld. The sentiment is also from CS Designs.

This is also perfect for the new Macabre Monday Challenge at the Haunted Design House Blog "Eye Can See You" as the Mysterious Butterfly Solitaire image is all about the "eyes" - they really stand out behind the mask & I've used bold colours to give a bit of a "Gothic" look - I like a bit of darkness in my creations every now and again!

I like the clean look of this card with the red/white/grey & black. And becasue I have used the "Butterfly" masked Solitaire image and butterfly graphics I am also entering this card in the new Our Creative Corner "Butterflies" Challenge. I think the metamorphasis from caterpillar to butterfly is truly a miracle and I love this butterfly quote:

If nothing ever changed

There'd be no butterflies.

Art With No Boundaries "Anything Goes" Challenge

April 17th 2012
Our new challenge this fortnight at Art With No Boundaries is "Anything Goes" - so let your imagination run wild & share your amazing creations with us!

I've used several of the Solitaire "Behind the Mask" Designs from CS Designs to make this card along with a great CS Dsigns Sentiment "Dare to be Different".

I have also made this card for the current Desert Islands Crafters Challenge. The items I have used from their "itinerary" are: No Flowers, Red & Black, Rounded Corners & a Quote!

Dont Let the Attire Fool You....

April 16th 2012

This post is a reminder for our  "From the Past" Challenge at The Cheerful Stamp Pad which still has a week left to run AND is also my entry for the Gingersnap Creations "Last
Century" Challenge and the current Frilly & Funky "I'll Take Your Word For It" Challenge.

The image is from the Altered Pages "Pretty Petticoats" Collage Sheet and the fantastic humourous sentiment - which I thought matched the petticoat lady perfectly - is from CS Designs.

More "Rainbow" Inspiration

April 14th 2012
A quick reminder email for our So Artful "Rainbow" Challenge which is current for another week.

I've made this card with image & sentiment from CS Designs. I've coloured the image with chalks in colours of the rainbow!

More "Eyes" Inspiration

April 10th 2012

A reminder for our Art With No Boundaries "The Eyes Have It" Challenge - you still have a week to enter and we would love to see your creations!

I've used another of the "Arty Expression Designs from CS Designs and altered a coaster. The image has been coloured with chalks and matching pink embellishments added!

I am also entering this at the Creative Monday Challenge - Anything But a Card and the Make it Monday Challenge!

The Eyes Have It!

April 3rd 2012
The theme for the new challenge at Art With No Boundaries this fortnight!

I've made a card based on the Split Negative Technique. I printed the images on some great text patterned paper from Bo Bunny. I've used a great Arty Expression image from CS Designs and I made the sentiment myself.

We would love you to join us for our "The Eyes Have It" Challenge!

BRAND NEW CHALLENGE BLOG: Recycle, Re-Purpose & Re-Invent!!

March 31st 2012

A BRAND New Recycle Challenge blog - Recycle, Re-Purpose & Re-Invent!! Do you love to "hoard" anything & everything???? If you said yes then this is the challenge blog for you!!

Our first challenge is an "Anything Goes" Challenge - so we want you to recycle anything you have been saving or have on hand and create with it!! Make sure you let us know what your "recycled" item is and how you have used it so we can all learn new things and get more ideas on how to recycle! And for an added bonus and the opportunity to win a great new "recycle" theme Sentiment just tell us what the "strangest" thing is that you have recycled or been keeping to recycle - we would love to know what things people have ideas for!

For my creation this month I have recycled a funky "arrow" shaped belt buckle from a box of buttons & goodies I was given as well as some black leather thong from a broken multi strand necklace. I've added beads to the leather and also the top of my "Charisma" face from CS Designs. Charisma has been coloured with Copic Markers and then adhered to the jewelry "mould" and covered with Diamond Glaze. I used a hot glue gun to adhere the jewelry piece to the buckle and also added a brooch pin to the back - pretty cool????

Our challenges will run for an entire month so you have plenty of time to enter! And you can use any images you like and any recycled item for this month!!

AND for this month we have a bonus challenge with the chance to WIN a Great CS Designs Sentiment. We need you to tell us what the strangest thing is that you have been "hanging on to" to recycle in a creation & how you are planning to use it. Just add this info to your blog post when you enter our challenge this month and you will be in the running for the prize!!

I would have to say I have held onto several strange items!

I have a few iPOD hard plastic packaging boxes which I have used to make a "Mummy's Sarcophagus" click here to view.

I also currently have a pair of shoe laces from a pair of shoes that my daughter wanted to add bright colourful showlaces to and I couldn't bear to throw them out so I may be able to use them to make a decorated carry gift bag & make the handles with them.

We cant wait to hear what you have and what you are going to do with it!!

A Touch of Green

March 27th 2012

I've made a Xmas Card for this week's Art With No Boundaries Challenge Inspiration - no harm in getting prepared early!! I used Priscilla Winter Playtime & a Xmas Sentiment - both from Chris at CS Designs.
For the background of this card I thought I would try out the "Herringbone" technique from a tutorial at Splitcoast Stampers - I think this pattern looks really effective and a great way to use bits & pieces of patterned papers. And as we are still going with our "Fashionista" challenge I have added a button & some braid from my sewing box plus a touch of green!!

Fly...

March 20th 2012

At Art With No Boundaries we decided to extend our "Fashionista" Challenge until the end of the month as everyone was having a great time creating with items from their sewing box!! If you have already entered you can enter again BUT this time we are asking that you use some "green" on your creation as well as an item from your sewing box!!! We would love to see your "Fashionista" creations!!

I've made this cute little beaded art doll with some left over beads from a costume I made plus some shimmery ribbon to make a hanger for my creation! The image is from the 'Solitaire' range of CS Designs "Mysterious Butterfly" the little wings are from a Lisa's Altered Art collage sheet. The 'body' of my art doll is a beaded piece from a broken necklace (good recycling!!!!)

I would love to see how creative you can be for this challenge!!