Beaded Butterfly

So the summer seems to have arrived here in the UK, it's been so warm, made a pleasant change after it seems to have rained constantly for the first 5 months.

But now on to the new challenge to welcome in June over at

The Critter Crazy challenge.

Out theme is always anything goes

as long as a critter is the focal point of your make.

I've had the thought recently that I really wanted to go back to some classic stamping. So I decided to try out my old magnolia stamps. This is one of them. I've coloured this cute butterfly with polychromo pencils. Then gone over it it with a Wink of Stella glitter pen, although that is not showing up on the photo's.

I've created the background with lot's of layers of patterned papers, these have been distressed round the edge with distress inks. Then I distressed the edge of the image too. I've decorated the card with a single silk flower and something else vintage, the pretty pearl swirls. Just a stamped sentiment to finish.

I would like to enter this in the following challenges

Neglected stuff - Old Stamps/ embellishments

Stamping Sensations - Cute Creatures

We love Stamping - All creatures great and small

Creative Fingers - ATG

Ellibelle's Corner - Any thing from the garden

Allsorts - ATG

Creative Crafters - ATG

A little bit of retro

Today is new challenge day at

Crafty Catz.

Our theme is

Anything Goes.

I seem to use mostly digi images these days, so I have made a decision to go back to using some of my older rubber stamps.

So I have gone back to my old Magnolia stamps. She has been coloured with alcohol pens. The background is made up of lots of colour coordinated patterned papers and die cut bits. Some distressing to the edges of the papers and round the image. I've really enjoyed doing this card, it's been a long time since I last used these stamps, think I will have to do more.

I would like to enter this in the following challenges

Creative Fingers - ATG

Crafty Gals Corner - ATG

Paper Funday - ATG

Ally's Angels - ATG

Crafters Cafe - ATG

Daisy Chain - layer it up

Girlz Creative Crafts - dies/punches

Move along with the times - 2 or more butterflies

Triple B - Butterflies

Circles

It's now May, this year is going so fast.

But lets have a new challenge at

The Crafty Catz.

Our theme is now always

Anything Goes

So for this weeks inspiration I've gone for something really simple. I've seen a lot of this cards around and thought I would have try. It is simply die cut circles, in 3 sizes or more, cut in half then layered up and misaligned. Then just added a sentiment and a leaf spray. There are endless possibilities and so quick to do, I really want to try lots more.

I would like to enter this in the following challenges

Creative Fingers - ATG

Simply clean and simple - CAS

Craft Rocket - not square

Paper Funday - ATG

A cut above - Die cuts

AAA birthday - Birthday

Love to Craft - ATG

Daisy Chain - No designer paper

Crafts Galore Encore - ATG

Crafters Cafe - ATG 

Wolf

Another month gone so another challenge starts today at

The Critter Crazy challenge.

Our theme is anything goes

as long as a critter is the main image on your card.

I think this is an old discontinued Clarity Stamps image of a wolf. It's been stamp in grey archival ink. The 2 corner panels are stamped using distress ink with added water to make them look like watercolour. The panel behind the wold has been stencilled in a very light blue using the Clarity stripes stencil. Then all has been layered up using dark blue card, with a die cut sentiment in dark blue too. I think makes a great male card.

I would like to enter this in the following challenges

Creative Fingers - Anything Goes

Crafty Gals Corner - ATG

Paper Funday - Die cut

Simon says Stamp - 4 legged friends

Allsorts - Anything but Square

Classic Design - Furry Friends

Creative Crafters - ATG

Love to Craft - ATG

Crafters Cafe - No Squares 

Beaded without a Stitch

I'm the host for this weeks new challenge at

The Crafty Catz Challenge.

Out theme now is

Anything Goes

I really enjoyed doing this card, It's a technique I haven't done for a while, and I think it looks so soft and feminine. I've used a stencil from Sweet Poppy called Ginko Leaves. Initially I've used inks through the stencil and allowed those to dry. Then I have re-applied the cleaned stencil over the image and used clear paste through, removed the stencil and immediately applied clear micro beads. Very  light pressure is applied to make sure the beads go into the paste before the excess is removed. Then leave to dry. I've used matching card and patterned papers to layer up the image. Finally a bow and a birthday sentiment complete.

I would like to enter this in the following challenges

Creative Fingers - ATG

Craft Rocket - Layer it up

Ellibelle's Corner - Garden

Just us Girls - Stencils

As you like it - Pastels( love soft colours)

Stencil Fun - Stencils

Beautiful Blossoms  - Blossoms

Crafters Cafe - ATG

Creative Crafters - ATG

The Black Dahlia

It's new challenge time at

The Crafty Catz Challenge.

The theme now is 

Anything Goes

I'm still very much in the mood for stencils, so here is another one. This one is the Dahlia stencil from Sweet Poppy Stencils. For this one I've used black and white stencil paste. More black paste so the white paste has just given the petals a white edge. I will admit that this was a happy accident, I had wanted it to be a more mottled effect, but I'm quite happy how it turned out. Next time I will try more white and less black paste. To finish it off I've quite simply with black and silver card layers and a happy birthday stamp.

I would like to enter this in the following challenges

Clean and Simple Sunday - CAS

As you like it - Simple (shows of your image most)

Stencil Fun - Stencils

Make my Monday - Monotone

Beautiful Blossoms - Flowers

Crafts Galore - ATG

Morgans Art World - ATG

Triple B - Blooms 

Cog Cat

Happy April Fools day, have you seen any believable jokes yet?

Well the new challenge at

the Critter Crazy challenge

is no joke.

The theme is use a critter

and make it the focal point of your card please. 

This one is quite simple really. I've use the Mechanical Cat stencil from Sweet Poppy stencils, and it's in the sale at half price right now. I've used pearlescent white paste and let it dry. The just layered with silver mirror card and a check patterned paper. The sentiment has been stamped and embossed with white powder.

I would like to enter this in the following challenges

A place to start - ATG

613 Avenue create - ATG

Allsorts - ATG

Creative Fingers - ATG

Just us Girls - Stencils

Ally's Angels - ATG

Crafts Galore Encore - ATG

Love to Craft - ATG

Creative Crafters - ATG