Leaves at Fab n Funky

Hello everybody it's time for a new Fab N Funky Challenge 

Thank you to all who joined us in last week's challenge. The DT had a great time looking at all the wonderful creations that were kindly shared with us! 

Please check the challenge blog for the winners and top 3  Congratulations to you all. there were some wonderful creations and thank you all for sharing them with us.

The theme for this weeks challenge as chosen by Pat K is 

Leaves  

Our sponsor is StampArt Design by Kathryne 
who our offering our First Prize Winner the choice of 5 digital images

Here is my creation 

I have used Autumn Delights from Kathryne 

The image was coloured using a combination of inks and watercolours. I printed the image onto water colour paper then used watercolours ivory and ochre to colour the face and hands and then the rest is done in distress inks 

Dungarees - Faded Jeans

Shirt Olive

Neckerchief and heart patch - Barn Door 

Shoes and Hat - Brushed Corduroy

Hair - Wild Honey

Birds and ground  - Frayed Burlap

Leaves Forest Moss and Rusty Hinge

Fence - Aged Mahogany

Pumpkin - Marigold

Sky - Broken China 

Once teh image was dry I matted it onto a really dark green pearlescent paper and trimed to leave a narrow border.

The background paper is from a My Craft Studio CD Wishes and whispers and looks like handmade paper with leaves embedded in it this was also matted onto the dark green pearlescent paper and I added a layer of KRAFT card to it which had individual die cut leaves stuck to it. The leaves were originally die cut from white card then lightly pressed into a piece of cut and dry foam that had been prepared with flitter glue, and they were then dropped into red gold or copper thunder gilding flakes to get the metallic finish before being stuck to the Kraft card.

I then stuck this panel to teh backing panel and the whole thing was wrapped with a lovely rust coloured satin ribbon which was tied in a loose bow and then ends left to hang down the front f teh card before teh water coloured panel was added,

Inside the card I used more of the backing paper from the CD and distressed teh edges before colouring with bundled sage distress ink.

I am entering this card into the following challenges 

http://www.abcchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ - Fall/Autumn

http://www.craftyourpassionchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ - Autumn/Fall Colours 

Magnificent Men at Ooh La La Creations

Hello, once again we had some gorgeous entries for our Pearls and Swirls challenge last time and you can see the winners at Ooh La La Creations Challenge Blog, Whilst there check out the DT cards for this weeks Challenge set by Lisbeth - Magnificent Men.

I chose this wonderful image from the Boys to men CD. I also used backing papers from the same CD and I kept the design simple, just using this wonderful pyrimage image to do the talking. I used some kraft paper for matting and layering and used a kraft blank to keep the manly feel to the card.

Inside I just cropped the main image to a square and printed it off at 50% opacity on MCS to make the insert.

I am entering this card into the following challenges.

Sweet Treats at Fab n Funky

Hi there, firstly huge thanks to all those who entered the Fab n Funky challenge last week - there were some fabulous projects and the winners can be seen on the Fab n Funky Challenge Blog 

This week we are sponsored by Digi Darla 

 Rachel has chosen the theme of Sweet Treats for the challenge, so here is what I came up with using Digi Darlas Glorious Cupcakes

I started off by using cosmic shimmer dries clear glue to trace the shape of the cake stand and then added silver gilding foil to it to give a metallic finish. Once this was dry I coloured the cupcakes just using the palest pastel colours from among my collection of Promarkers and Spectrum Noir pens to give a pretty pastel candy coloured finish. The cakes were then decorated using liquid pearls or iridescent stickles to give a bit of sparkle. 

I used the base plate for one of my Marianne oval frames dies to cut the image out and then added pink liquid pearls around the edge of the shape.

The background papers are from a My Craft Studio Vintage Charm and worked so well with the theme. The bunting was from another MCS CD - Pastel Preludes and is actually full size Bunting that I have shrunk down and added the letters to before printing off.  Before attaching the smaller panel of backing paper to the card I wrapped it in organza ribbon and tied a bow then added a double bow of the same ribbon I had used on the bunting, before adding the cupcake button and pearls to the centre.

The other cupcake I made using Martha Stewart modelling clay and a silicone mould. This clay is paper based and air dries in 24 hours but it is so light it is great for adding embellishments without increasing weight.

Inside the card I kept the afternoon Tea theme going with the addition of a doily and and central die cuts to reflect the outside of the card 

I will be entering this card into the following Challenges.

Nine Down Fifteen to go

Well it's Monday and the new challenge at Through the Purple Haze challenge is to use the following sketch

I decided to use it for the inspiration for a scrap book page of one of my memories from this years International Beatleweek in Liverpool. This years festival was very much focused on George Harrison both as a member of The Beatles and as a solo artist which suited me perfectly because he has and always will be my favourite Beatle, The Sunday of the festival is the convention day with guest speakers, a large sale room with all kinds of memorabilia both modern and vintage, and bands in several of the bars at the hotel that becomes our home for the week of the festival. 

among the guests this year were some of the Devotees of the Hare Krsna Movement and they spent Sunday in a little side room away from all the usual Beatleweek madness, chanting chatting to anyone who dropped in and offering Indian sweet and savoury snacks to all those who stopped by. George is remembered with fondness by a number of the devotees and he offered support when they first came to England and started their chanting in Oxford Street he was often ridiculed for it but he found great inner strength and peace from the teachings of the devotees and in my experience they never seek to convert just to explain what they believe and it is down to the individual what they take from this. Anyway enough of the background  here is the layout that was inspired by my meeting with the Krsna devoytees that sunny Sunday in Liverpool.

Rather than stick slavishly to the  sketch I used it to inspire this layout, and began by turning it through 180 degrees. I then used the main circular element to create a Mandala shape, the centre of which is based on an original Henna tattoo and I had one of these drawn on my foot at the festival. I scanned a photograph of the basic design and enlarged it and printed it on safmat. This was then stuck over a enlarged print of a piece of golden coloured Indian dupion silk and cut out. I then added the further layers to the Mandala using a copper metallic paper and yellow co-ordinations card from the retro 60's set.

I stuck the bright orange ribbon across the centre and added a photograph of three of the devotees. The small piece of bunting was cropped from the same photograph and is of the banner they carry when chanting in the streets that bears the words of the Hare Ksrna Mantra anyone over a certain age reading this will remember the stir it caused when the devotees from the London Temple took this into the hit parade in the late 1960's on the Beatles Apple record label and they all appeared on Top of The Pops. The cropped section of the photograph was added to a piece of black felt as was the title for the page 'Chant and Be Happy' which is the title of the book about Krsna that George wrote the forward to.

The whole piece was then stuck to a 12x12 piece of core'dinations card stock in deep red which I had gilded using gilding flakes at the edges. The ribbon across the top was frayed at the edges to give a softer feel to teh page and the central panel is the Hare Krsna mantra typed onto Safmat and stuck to bright orange illusion film before being stuck to the ribbon.

The row of four embellishments is from top to bottom a wooden element that I found in my local craft shop that bears a striking resemblance to the lotus flower which features prominently in paintings of Krsna in Indian Art. I gilded it using dark red gilding wax and mounted it on a die cut circle of bright yellow illusion film to match it into the colour scheme. the second element is a slogan that appears on badges that the devotees often give out and says Gouranga Be happy, the idea is that if you shout Gouranga loud enough you will feel joyous, again the slogan was printed onto safmat and added to a die cut circle of bright orange illusion film. The third element is an Om or Aum symbol and is used in meditation and is considered to be the perfect vibration of sound to bring about inner peace. Finally a small wooden sun was added and again this was gilded with red gilding wax - this for e represents George as he wrote 'Here Comes The Sun' and having seen him up close and spoken to him on a few occasions I always say he had a smile that lit up the world like sunshine. 

On the left the final elements are to represent marigolds the flowers used in making the neck garlands worn by the devotees at special festivals. I didn't have any marigolds in my stash so coloured some white silk daisies with promarkers and added black felt centres.

this may not be exactly as the sketch appears but it is certainly heavily influenced by it and the colour scheme was chosen as a reflection of the Indian spices used in the preparation of the food we were offered that day. 

I am entering this project into the following challenges

http://challenges4everybody.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything Goes 

http://lovetoscrapchallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything Goes 

http://digistamps4joy-sa.blogspot.co.uk - Inspired by the 60's

http://throughthepurplehazechallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ - sketch challenge 

Opposites Attract at Fab and Funky

Hello, well we had some wonderful entries for our 'Stick It' challenge, you can check out the winners over on the Fab n Funky blog http://fabnfunkychallenges.blogspot.co.uk/.

I am hosting this week so I have chosen the theme of 'Opposites Attract' The challenge to produce a project using two colours from opposing sides of the colour wheel

Our fabulous sponsors this week are 

Stamp Art by Kathryne 

and 

Flonz craft 

Here is the card I made using Stamp Art Smoochy Bears and taking my colours as Red and Green 

I coloured my image using promarkers 

Sandstone, Caramel and Cocoa for the bears 

Poppy and Berry for the red outfit 

Grass and Evergreen for the Green Outfit.

Once coloured I added a mixture of polar white flowersoft and an iridescent glitter flake that was a free gift with a magazine, I mixed small amounts of the two together in a box before using - it was a bit of an experiment on my part but I am happy with the shimmer effect it gives.

I used a lovely rich green centura pearl card stock and to give contrast a very matt red textured card stock from Papermania to do the matting and layering. The image was fussy cut and placed on a white label cut using a nesting labels die from Spellbinders.

Finally the sentiment and the sprig of mistletoe were cut using Tattered Lace Dies and the finishing touches were the pearls which were added using cosmic shimmer white pearlescent PVA.

I am entering the card into the following challenges

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - lets get inky 

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge2.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything Goes as long as it's Christmas 

http://thegloryofchristmaschallenge.blogspot.de - Anything Goes 

Eight Down Sixteen to Go

I was delighted when I saw the challenge theme this week at Through the Purple Haze this week was die cuts. I have recently become addicted to Tattered Lace Dies and this gives me the chance to show off one of the projects I have made using these intricate dies.

I have used Centura Pearl Paper in a lovely pale lilac tone for teh background and then die cut the shapes from Centura Pearl black card stock.

I used one of my spellbinders labels dies for the central panel but everything else was cut using tattered Lace dies.

The Corners are from a new dies that so far has only been available to members of teh Create and Craft club - as it hasn't been launched on TV yes and is part of a two die set which has this triangle and a lovely lacy square die that cuts leaving an oval centre aperture.

The scrolls on the sides are bits of the 'waste' from the corner die.

The central image is from the floral selection of dies and this one is 'Pansies'

Finally the sentiment is cut using a mixture of the everyday and Christmas sentiments dies.

I am entering this into the following Challenges

http://throughthepurplehazechallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ - use your die cuts
http://cuttlebugmania.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything Goes

Pearls and Swirls at Ooh La La Creations.

Hello Thank you all for your marvellous entries for our last challenge inspired by song, you can see my choice of the top three over at Ooh La La Creations Challenge Blog . Whilst you are there check out the  gorgeous DT creations for our current challenge set by Daniele 'Pearls and Swirls'

I used a beautiful satin type backing paper from the Passion For Fashion CD and the image is one of my favourites from the Yesterdays Memories CD, you can get them both and the lovely Pearl swirls on the top and bottom of the frame from the Ooh La La Creations shop 

Having chosen the Black and white image and the lovely pale lavender paper I wanted to keep to this colour scheme so added a punched border of black paper with the lavender backing paper down the centre and wrapped in lace. The frame was made from lavender card using x cut nesting rectangles dies and had the Pearl swirls stuck to the top and bottom and a thin line of pearls added down the sides.

I added the sentiment to the border, which had been cut with a sizzix oval die and then pearls added around the edge and the whole thing covered in glossy accents and a small purple heart gem added. I added two pearl heart pins behind it before adding the three flowers which were from a Debbi Moore Deco CD, which I cut and layered up and added pearl centres. I also added a piece of plastic net from a fruit bag (I think this one originally contained Kiwi Fruit) behind the flowers.

Having added the pearls I worked on the swirls I die cut a Cheery Lynne Holly branch die several times  and clipped all the holly leaves off then joined the branches together and added the small flowers to cover the snips and joins. 

In the top left corner I added more pearls and a single flower and piece of net.

I used the same satin backing paper inside the card and added hearts die cut using Marianne dies from matt silver card. and added two flowers to finish.

 I am entering this card into the following challenges
http://challenges4everybody.blogspot.co.uk/  - Anything Goes
http://brownsugarchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Wedding
http://audsentimentschallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/ - Any Sentiment