The Magic Fountain

Here's a whimsical piece I finished today using an image called Heart Grumpie by Smeared Ink and papers from the Simply Steampunk set at Crafty Chaos Designs.
I'd like to enter it into the following challenges:
I Did It Creations - 1 image, 2 patterned papers and 3 embellishments (wish, imagine, and the little eyeglass I gave the grumpie)
Lollipop Crafts - shabby chic or vintage
Scrapbook Sisters Card Challenge - distress
Color Throwdown - orange, brown, yellow green
Simon Says Stamps Challenge - anything goes
Smeared and Smudged Rock n Rolla Challenge - be inspired by the video for The Magic Fountain by Art Vs. Science

You should always keep a sewing kit handy!

Here's a piece I did this afternoon. The image is Zombie Lola by Simply Betty Stamps and the patterned paper is from the Memories of Atlantis set by Crafty Chaos Designs.
These are the challenges I made it for:
Get Sketchy - sketch #84
Simply Betty Challenges - zombie invasion
Southern Girls - green and blue
Charisma Cardz - jokes and laughter
The Burtonesque Dolls - stitch contrasting bits of bp together to form your background
Make It Colourful - give your image black hair. This is my second attempt, as the shading on the firsy one was all done by the stamp artist, not by me. So, this is my first real attempt at shading black hair myself. I couldn't get it to look as brilliantly shiny as others seem to do, but I have at least used lots of shading to (hopefully) denote movement. It's an improvement, right? Right???

Deliciously Dark Doodles

It's Monday again, and there's only oneprefix for Mondays that counts - Macabre Monday! Over at the Haunted Design House this week, the challenge s "alone in the dark" and you're to use a black or creepily dark background for your main image. We're sponsored by the lovely Teri, owner and creator of Delicious Doodles, so you need to get entered for your chance to win some of her glorious digi stamps. And don't forget that Teri also has her own challenge blog, Delicious Doodles Challenges, and the current challenge there is "Anything Goes" so why not combine your entries for double the chance to win? My piece uses the wonderful Dark Valentine image by Delicious Doodles, and papers by me, but I like this one so much that you may see it appearing in a set very soon ;)
These are the challenges I'd like to enter:
Peachy Keen - sketch + metallic elements
Wags n Whiskers - black green pink white
Flutterby Wednesday - include an angel, fairy or butterfly
Do It with Digis - fairies pixies or elves
Delicious Doodles - anything goes
A Gem of a Challenge - pearls and swirls
Irish Teddy - no designer paper
Paper Pretties - pink green and neutral
Totally Gorjuss - bling it on
Digi Stamps 4 Joy - pearls and swirls
Paper Sundaes - choose two from list, I used sparkle and pearls
Make It Colourful - colour black hair. Hmmm, mine doesn't have the wonderful shine that can be done with black hair, but I am quite pleased with the way that I've done black-ish hair on a black-ish background and managed to still make it clearly visible.
Sparkles Forum Challenges - anything goes
Aud Sentiments - anything goes
Creative Friday - anything goes

Animals of all shapes and sizes!

This week's challenge at the Corrosive blog is to incorporate animals into your project. Big ones, small ones, fierce ones, cuddly ones, we don't mind what type as long as there's an animal on your piece somewhere. This is your last chance to enter for a chance at winning some Bugaboo digis, so dig out those animals stamps or images and come play along!
I've used two Bugaboo images for my project, Bunny Eggbert and Skelekinz Miss You, along with papers from a new set at Crafty Chaos Designs called Memories of Atlantis.
Here are the challenges I'd like to enter:
Stamping Vacation Sketch Therapy - sketch
Crafter's Companion Monthly Challenges - aqua and brown
Die Cut Dreams - Easter
Crazy Challenges - friendship
Bows and Berries - Easter
Crafty Sentiments - Easter
Aud Sentiments - anything goes
Charisma Cardz - jokes and laughter
Paper Play - Easter
Shelly's Images Terrifically Thrilling Thursdays - show us what ya got
The Rubber Cafe - polka dots (I can't quite make up my mind whther or not that bp counts as polka dots or not, what do you think?)
4 Crafty Chicks - Easter
Sisterhood of Crafters - Easter
Belli Challenges - bunnies or eggs
Penny's Challenges - Easter
Crazy Amigo Challenges - Easter
My Time to Craft - Easter
Papertake Weekly - spots and/or stripes
Pear Tree Designs - Easter
Craft Your Passion - spots and dots
2 Sisters Challenge - photo inspiration (I started with the bunny and went from there)
Creative Inspirations - Easter
Crazy 4 Challenges - create an Easter card
Craft Your Days Away - Easter
Shannon's Sentiments - Easter
Little Claire's Challenges - animals
Easy Craft Projects - Easter
Creative Friday - open theme
Delicious Doodles - anything goes
Dream Valley Challenges - Easter
Sunday Postcards - Easter
Sparkles Forum Challenges - anything goes
Scrappy Frogs - Easter
Scrappekammeret - anything goes

Just to say "Hi!"

I've been working on a new paper set this week, and I just got it finished yesterday, so of course I had to play. Errrr, I mean, do some serious quality control tests :P The set is called Just As Yu Found Me, and it will be in the Crafty Chaos Designs shop soon (once I stop playing and get the preview done :P) The image and sentiment are both by Tiddly Inks.

Here's a close-up of te image, so you can see the paper-piecing and the fact that I glittered her outer skirt and wings.
Here are the challenges I'd like to enter:
Sunday Sketch and Stamp - followed the sketch
Tiddly Inks Tuesday - use stitching
Getting Creative with Ann - use a technique (paper piecing)
One Stitch At A Time - make it sassy
Delightful Challenges - paper piecing or piercing
Aud Sentiments - anything goes
Do It with Digis - fairies pixies and elves
Digi Doodle Shop's Best - glitter and glitz
Shelly's Images - anything goes
Incy Wincy Designs - bright and bold
Phindy's Place Challenges - paper piecing (now I actually started this card for last week's challenge of using purple and teal, but I didn't get it finished in time)
Little Miss Muffett Challenges - glitter and shine
Fresh Brewed Designs - sparkle
Crafty Creations - 1 technique (paper piecing), 2 embellishments (diamante hearts) and three patterned papers (2 on the background and one in her dress)
Flutterby Wednesday - include a fairy, angel or butterfly
Top Tip Tuesday - anything goes
Digital Tuesday - pretty punches (around the edges)
Cupcake Craft Challenges - lots of layers
The Secret Crafter - stitching
By the Cute and Girly - cute and girly

Metal is the word of the week!

At StampInsanity this week we'd love to see your creations featuring some sort of metal, be it brads, pins, chains, eyelets, whatever metal strikes your fancy, we want to see it on your project.
I've used the lovely Nicholette from the Les Coquettes collection, available at the StampInsanity store, and papers are by Crafty Chaos Designs.
Here are the other challenges that I'd like to enter:
Lollipop Crafts - sketch
Birthday Sundaes - anything goes birthday
One Stitch At A Time - make it sassy
Stampavie and More - birthdays
ABC Challenges - S is for Sparkle
The Pixie Cottage - happy birthday
Top Tip Tuesday - anything goes
Whoopsi Daisy - free and easy
There She Goes - monochromatic
Stamp with Fun - birthday
Ooh La La Creations - aqaua, bling, and a sentiment
Irish Teddy's - new (first time I've used this image, and I created the frame just yesterday, so that's new as well)

Recycling with the Creative Card Crew

It's time for a new challenge at the Creative Card Crew blog, and this week we'd like you to recycle something. We're sponsored by Paper Pretties, and I used their sweet Bunny Lucy digi stamp.

Now since this is a digi card, and obviously all digital elements are almost infinitely re-useable, how did I incorporate recycling into my project? Well, I used Christmas items, so I guess "re-purposing" is a more accurate term for what I did. The papers are from the Holiday Wishes set at Crafty Chaos Designs, and the matting layer behind the image is actually a Christmas bauble die cut shape. See her pretty patterned dress? If you look closely, she's been paper-pieced with a snowflake paper, but I think it looks like a delicate floral print when it's not in close-up.
Here are the challenges I'd like to enter:
Gingerloft Challenges - sketch
Scrappy Frogs - Easter
I Did It Creations - Easter
The Crafty Pad - Easter
Sentimental Sundays - Spring or Easter
Sparkles Forum - Easter
Bows and Berries - Easter
Pear Tree Designs - Easter
Die Cut Dreams - Easter
Crafty Creations - paper piecing
Sassy Studio Designs - paper piecing
Fussy and Fancy Creations - For a child
Try It On Tuesday - upcycling
Penny's Challenges - Easter
The Sisterhood of Crafters - Easter
CRAFT Challenges - Easter

Just for fun

I spotted a colour combo challenge that I wanted to try, and here's the end result. Image is by Bugaboo Stamps, papers created by me.
Here are the challenges I'd like to enter:
Creative Sketches - daffodil, pale blue, eggplant
The Pixie Cottage - sketch and/or for a special lady
Timbroscrapmania - create your own bg (I created both the spotted and the stripy bg papers because I didn't have any that used the colour scheme)
Fab n Funky - all spotty and dotty
Fresh Brewed Designs - cute and sweet
Digi Doodle Shop's Best - stripes
Do You Stack Up - scallops
Craft Your Passion - spots/dots
Card Ideas - for a guy

Gothic Pin-Ups!

We have another fun Macabre Monday challenge for you over at the Haunted Design House, and this week's theme is Gothic Pin-Ups. We're sponsored by Tiddly Inks and the DT have been showcasing their new line of images called Gothic Pin-Ups (see what we did there?)
I used the Tainted image from the Gothic PinUps line and the heart stamp is also from Tiddly Inks, you can get it here
Here are the challenges I'd like to enter:
Card Patterns - sketch 111
One Stitch At A Time - make it sassy
Stampavie and More - black
Totally Gorjuss - no patterned paper
Aud Sentiments - anything goes
Some Odd Girl - clean and simple
Charisma Cardz - pink black and green

It's all about the home

The challenge this week over at Corrosive Challenges is all about Home, Sweet Home, so break out those stamps that show houses or home comforts and come join in with us for your chance to win SEVEN stamps of your choice by Bugaboo Stamps, our sponsors for the month. My piece uses the Home Sweet Home stamp by Tiddly Inks and the bp is from the Bittersweet set at Crafty Chaos Designs.
These are the challenges I'd like to enter:
Paper Minutes - sketch
Take A Word - lace
Pear Tree Designs - lace
Digi Stamps 4 Joy - monochrome
Stampin' B's Design Team - use a square (bp), and oval (lace mat behind the image) and a circle (sentiment)
Pixie Dust Studios - say it out loud
Aud Sentiments - anything goes (must have a sentiment)
Delicious Doodles - all stitched up
Sugar Creek Hollow - monochromatic
The Secret Crafter - stitching

Spring cleaning? Maybe next week :P

Here's a piece I made this afternoon. Image is a pre-coloured freebie by SJ's Little Musings and the papers are by Crafty Chaos Designs.
I had these challenges in mind whilst creating:
One Powerful Hour - Spring cleaning
Southern Girls - sketch
Sketchy Colours - purple, turquoise and green
My Sheri Crafts - buttons
Totally Stampalicious - anything goes. And, they're trying to reach at least 100 participants this week, so whatever you're creating, get it entered!
Just For Fun - circles All the papers, and the button embellishments, and the image matt mean lots of circles.
Alota Rubber Stamps - something funny
Desert Island Crafters - I used 5, 7 and 9 (dots, child image, bright colours)

I have a cunning plan!

This piece does make me smile :D The fabby image is by Andrea, aka Smudgetastic, and she's providing the winners of this week's Macabre Monday challenge at the Haunted Design House with three wonderful zombie-themed digis. So, what's the challenge? Zombie Apocalypse! Mmmmmmmmm, brains!
These are the challenges I'd like to enter:
Fab n Funky - sketch. I'm really taken with this week's sketch, so this is my second entry
Order of the Opus Gluei - re-visit an old Opus Gluei challenge. I went for Healthy, Wealthy and Wise (well, healthy and wise at least), Make Someone Smile (it makes me smile), Men, Sparkle, and Can I Quote You On That (I'm pretty sure this is a quote, I know I've used it before, but I can't find out where it came from, so I might only be quoting myself :P)
Getting Crafty with Ann - use a sketch
Stamp Something - sassy and/or circles
Crafty Sentiments - glitter
Just For Fun - circles
Crafts and Me - glitter

Fairy Borg Queen!

We have a fun sketch challenge for this week over at Corrosive Challenges, so you're free to use any colours or themes you like, as long as you follow the sketch. I went for a grungy cyborg-esque fairy, what do you think? The image is from The Octopode Factory and the wings are from Outlaw by Design.
Here are the challenges I'd like to enter:
Stampin' B Design Team - Navy and Green. ALSO include at least ONE of the following: Stripes, Dots or Plaids I created some papers to use all three
Flutterby Wednesday - open theme with fairy angel or butterfly
Papertake Weekly - anything goes +optional new (the papers, scallop border and sentiment were all created by me specifically for this creation, so they're all brand new
Dream Valley Challenges - things with wings
Craft Your Days Away - spots and stripes (as well as the paper, the image is actually wearing spotty AND stripy clothing)
Simon Says Stamp and Show - anything but a card. Hmmm, this started as an ATC ( so I could enter the Fun with ATCs challenge, but then I widened it to fit in the scallops and sentiment better, so now it's 3.5 by 2.8 inches big. So, a slightly fat ATC, I guess :P
Creatalicious - two-tone creations

Can you feel the love?

The image is by Simply Betty, papers are by Crafty Chaos Designs. Here are the challenges I'd like to enter:
Sweet Sunday Sketches - sketch 111
Simply Betty challenges - make a project using any Rio image, with the optional extras of making it black or skull-y.
Burtonesque Dolls - Burtonesque brides
Pixie Dust Studio - lace
Charisma Cardz - weddings or anniversaries
Craft Your Passion - anything goes
My Partner in Crafting Crime - 3 or more layers
I Did It Creations - anything goes
Pile It On - romantic and fancy (yeah, ok, it's black with lots of skulls, but check out the number of hearts and "love" words)
Stamp Something - sassy and/or circles
Card Makin' Mamas - embellish it. I've used lace, ribbon, a tag, a charm, several hearts, a couple of gems and lots of "love" words
Etsy Inspired Challenges - be inspired by an item from XS Baggage & Co. I chose the colours from Key Fob in Disco, and Wristlet Key Fob in Fancy Damask, and the over-lapping pattern effect and general busy collage look of items in Twilight Moon, Devotion, and Dreaming.

Sparkle and lace with Tellen's Place

This week at Tellen's Place we want you to use sparkle and lace in your creations, and for my DT card I've chosen to use to beautiful Asia Diva, which you can find in the Tellen's Place store.
Here's a close-up of the glittery bits, so you can see the sparkle.

Here are the challenges I'd like to enter:
Pixie Cottage - sketch and paper piecing
Some Odd Girl - clean and simple
Crafts and Me - glitter
Creative Cottage - white space
Gingersnap Creations - #97 geishas
City Crafter - Get well or Thinking of you + something digi
Colour Create - pink black and white (blogger wasn't loading images when I looked at this challenge, so I've used entirely the wrong shade of pink, sorry)
Crafty Sentiments - glitter
Pixie Dust Studio - lace
2 Sisters Challenge - get well or thinking of you

DT call for Divas by Design

A new challenge blog is opening on May 4th, and they're having a DT call. Divas by Design will be having bi-weekly challenges set every other Wednesday at 9am GMT starting from Weds 4th May. They also have some fab candy on offer, so pop along and have a look, and don't forget to become a follower.
Now, for the DT call, you have to make a post that shows 3 of your favourite creations. I've been looking through my posts for a few days now and I'm still no closer to deciding on which three creations will increase my chances of neing picked, so I've decided to just go for three that show (I think) different styles.


Image is by Smudgetastic


Image is by StampInsanity.


Image is by Tiddly Inks.

I'm going to force myself to leave the post now before I change my mind AGAIN about which creations to include here, lol, I hope you like the ones I've chosen.

A bridal card, a la Tim Burton

I made this today, the image is by Simply Betty Stamps, the text behind the image is by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, everything else was done by me in PSP. Here are the challenges I made it for:
Fab n Funky - sketch
The Burtonesque Dolls - Burtonesque Brides
Craft Your Passion - anything goes
Charisma Cardz - weddings and anniversaries
Papertake Weekly - anything goes (the spiderwebs are also new)
Stamping Vacation - you name the challenge - use a text bg

Retro-mania!

We have a very fun challenge for you over at StampInsanity this week. We'd like you to "Get Your Groove On" and go retro, lol, I had such fun with this one :D The image is from the Easter Blessings set and the Groovy Girl is from the Birthday Maddie set, both available at StampInsanity.
These are the challenges I'd like to enter:
There She Goes - round and round (no straight lines or angles) Lol, I really went to town with this one, there's not a single straight line anywhere in the whole piece, even the text is curvy :P
The Crafty Pad - flowers
Magical Monday - flowers
Crazy Challenges - flowers
Kabbodle Doodles - girly
Allsorts - blooming blossoms
Make It Colourful - colour with bright colours
Fresh Brewed Designs - flowers
The Pixie Cottage - paper piecing

Clean and simple steampunk

A very short post as I'm heading to bed, but I just finished this for a few challenges.
Here are the challenges:
Clean and Simple Sunday - sketch
Jay Gee's Nook - I used the colours and the bike from the inspiration photos
Birthday Sundaes - anything goes birthday
Alphabet Challenges - V is for Vehicles
One Powerful Hour - birthday wishes (Happy Birthday Sarah!)
Papertake Weekly - anything goes
Totally Stampalicious - birthdays
Fairytale Challenges - birthdays

April showers?

We have a new challenge for you over at the Creative Card Crew blog, and this week we'd like to see your interpretation of "April Showers". What does the phrase bring to mind for you? Rainy weather? Spring colours? May flowers? Or a zombie holding an umbrella? :P We're sponsored by the fabulous Simon Says Stamp, so get your mojo up and running and enter our challenge for your chance to win!
My card uses one of the sah-weet Skelekinz images by Bugaboo, which I've altered slightly. In the original, she's holding a skull balloon, but I sweapped that for an umbrella and used the skull to make flowers across the bottom. Now, Bugaboo does have some wonderful Skelekinz images tat are holding umbrellas, but sadly funds won't allow any new purchases at the moment, so I had to alter one I already had.
Here are the challenges I'd like to enter:

Sketchy Colours - sketch
The Play Date Cafe - pink blue and silver (see photo)
Cupcake Craft Challenges - make us giggle
Take a Word - umbrella
Irish Teddy's - double matting
Sentimental Sundays - Let's get wet
ResQ Challenge - rounded corners
Raise the Bar - April showers or any kind of weather
Crafty Catz - April showers (water)
One Stop Crafts - spots and dots
So Artful - April showers bring May flowers. Well, nearly :P
Catch the Bug - anything goes
Crafty Calendar - April showers bring May flowers
Alota Eubber Stamps - something funnt
Stamping Vacation Name That Card - live in laughter. Hmmm, mine might be better described as "dead in laughter" :P
Phindy's Place - humour

Macabre Monday Magically Witchy

Yay, it's Monday again, which means it's time for another dose of Macabre Monday over at the Haunted Design House blog, and this week the challenge is Magically Witchy. Anything at all to do with witchcraft or magic, and we're sposnored by Stitchy Bear Stamps, who created the image I used, called Brite Eyes. Papers are from the Bittersweet set at Crafty Chaos Designs.
These are the challenges I'd like to enter:
Tuesday Morning Sketches - I'm too late for the challenge, but I followed sketch #87
I Did It Creations - anything goes
Stamp Something - use a digi
Papercrafting Journey - for the ladies in your life
Just for Fun - anything goes
Lexi's Creations - monochromatic
Craft Your Passion - anything goes
Paper Playtime - anything digi
My Partner in Crafting Crime - 3 or more layers
Pollycraft - old or neglected stamp. I've had this stamp for just over a year now and I've only used it twice, the last time being last september.

Shabby chic pastels

Or at least, the idea in my head at the start of this card was a shabby chic pastel project, I'm not too sure if it actually turned out that way, but whatever the categorisation, I like it! The image is by Beary Dust and the papers are some I created just for this card. This is my make for the Corrosive Challenge blog's new challenge, which is to use pastel colours. And it's the first challenge in a new month, so we also have a new sponsor for the month, Bugaboo Stamps, you just need to enter our challenges to be in with a chance of winning some loot!
Here are the challenges I'd like to enter:

Stamp with Fun - sketch
Color Q - pink, celery, kraft, espresso (see swatch)
Fab n Funky - shabby chic
Simon Says Stamp and Show - a hat
Shannon's sentiments - include an oval
One Stop Crafts - spots and dots

Too hot to handle!

Here's one I started last night and finished today. Image is by Kenny K, papers are by Crafty Chaos Designs.
I'd like to enter these challenges:
Kenny K Krafty Girls - aquamarine
Irish Teddy - glitz and glamour
Incy Wincy Designs - sparkle and shine
Whoopsie Daisy - glitz and glitter
Paper Pretties - bling
Cooking It Up with Katie - sparkle shine and shimmer
Charisma Cardz - bling and sparkle
Wags and Whiskers - ribbon and pearls
Frosted Designs - bling
The Burtonesque Dolls - CASE a DT card. Ths time I've used the gorgeous card Rebecca made as my inspiration.

No sentiment, lol, it's killing me :P

Here's a card I made tonight for a few of the challenges that are out there at the moment. The main image is by Simply Betty stamps and the papers are by Crafty Chaos Designs.
These are the challenges I'd like to enter:
The Burtonesque Dolls - CASE a DT card. I chose to be inspired by Tracey O's beautifully simple Iceflower card. I've used similar colours, and exactly the same layout, with a flower in the corner with wispy feathers behind it (I've never done that before, and I love the way it looks!) AND, the hardest thing of all for me to do . . .no sentiment! Oh the horror! :P
Fussy and Fancy - use a zipper or a feather (two wispy feathers behind my flower)
Crazy Amigos - your favourite stamp. Honestly, I would have had trouble picking out one stamp and saying "This is the one I love the most" so instead, I've gone for "This is the one I've used most often"
365 Cards - Day 30 Mix and match manufacturers. The paper is by Crafty Chaos Designs, the main image is by Simply Betty, the bats are by StampInsanity, the flower is originally by Dana Conditt (recoloured by me) and the flower centre and the feathers behind it are both by Juicy Scraps.
Stamp Something - use something digi
Stamping Vacation You Name the Challenge - no sentiment, lol, that's HARD for me :P

Embalming with Tellen's Place

This week at Tellen's Place we'd like to challenge you to try something a little different . . .embalming. Now don't be scared, it's easier than you think. You just need to take something dead (it doesn't even need to be human) and preserve it. You can wrap it in gauze, as the Egyptian mummies, or you can use some type of preserving fluid or any other method of preservation you desire. (Google for some great ideas)


Ok, ok, April Fool's! :P I didn't create the item above, I found it on Etsy and if you should wish, you can buy it HERE NO ANIMALS WERE KILLED OR HARMED TO CREATE THE ABOVE PIECE!

Our real challenge this week over at Tellen's Place is EMBOSSING! (Is that a collective sigh of relief I hear? Bet that seems so easy after the possibility of embalming, right? :P) I decided to use a mummy image, I think a few of us ended up with embalming on the brain :P The image is of course by Tellen's Place and the patterned paper is by Crafty Chaos Designs.

These are the challenges I'd like to enter:
Critter Sketch Challenge - sketch + buttons
Stamptacular Sunday - adult birthday
Everybody Art - pink and brown
Digi Doodles - birthdays
Paper Playtime - use a digi
There She Goes - no markers. I feel like a bit of a cheat entering this one as I now colour everything digitally, so "no markers" sn't really a challenge for me. Just count this as a "for fun" entry.
The Pixie Cottage - sketch and/or stitching
Belli Challenges - sewing
Little Miss Muffet - stitching
One Powerful Hour - birthday wishes
Just for Fun - anything goes
Sugar Creek Hollow - stitching
Simply Create - do it yourself. I created the embossed pattern myself, I quite recently worked out how to do this so I've been using it quite a bit, and I love it :)
Creative Friday - embossing
Your Next Stamp - stitching
Fairytale Challenges - happy birthday
Fashionista Friday - sewing
Phindy's Place - humour
Alota Rubber Stamps - use something funny
365 Cards - Day 32 April Fool's Day