F is for..... at Ooh La La Creations

Good Morning and it's time for a new fortnightly challenge at Ooh La La Creations. We had some wonderful male themed cards for our Magnificent Men challenge and the winners can be found at Ooh La La Creations Challenge Blog.

The theme for the next fortnight is 'F is for...' so anything beginning with F on your creations whether that be Funny, Father's Day, Flowers or anything else for that matter, I think this will lead to a really diverse range of cards being entered I know the DT have come up with some wonderful interpretations so be sure to check them out.

Here's my card and I went with three different Fs for it. Far East, Fan and Frame.

The image is from the 'Waterfall Cards' section on the 'Passion for Fashion'  CD. Whilst all the Ooh La La CD's stand alone and need no special graphics programme to use them, I have chosen this time to show what can be done with a single image from one folder on CD when used in conjunction with a graphics package. I accessed the CD via My Craft Studio and from the page for the oriental waterfall card I selected a single image and cropped it. It was enlarged and printed off to use as the main topper. Then working with the same image I designed the backing paper by cropping just the area where the characters on the image form a block of four, I shrank this down and then tiled it to fill a whole page forming the backing. The pink 'rope' border was made by cropping just a tiny area of the lady's sash and again tiling this to form the rope.

I matted the backing paper onto black Centura Pearl card stock and did the same with the topper. I then wrapped the rope border around the backing panel and stuck it to a A5 card blank. I added the topper and then framed the topper using self adhesive mini mosaic tiles. 

The finishing touches were the die cut fan and the Chinese Character cut from gold mirror card using Tattered Lace dies and the character was stuck onto a scrap of black card stock I had left over. 

I am entering this card into the following challenges 

Button it up with Fab n Funky

Good morning and another Wednesday means it is time for another challenge over the Fab'n'Funky. There were some lovely entries into last weeks challenge of leaves, many of them in lovely rich warm Autumnal colours you can find out who the winners were by checking out the blog.

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The theme for this weeks challenge is .....

Button It Up 

Add a button/buttons to your creations...Have fun

Our Fabulous Sponsor this week is...

The Paper Shelter

The lucky winner will receive a $20 Gift Certificate

Here is my card

I used the paper shelter pre coloured image of 'The Florist' I don't usually go for pre coloured images preferring to do them myself but I fell in love with the colours on this one and felt that she worked so perfectly with the digital background provided. I printed her onto water colour card to give some added texture to the white background, added some glitter highlights and edged her with a doily before sticking her onto the background I had edged this with brown ink and stuck it to a piece of Kraft card stock. I added some buttons in the corner and was originally going to leave it at that and just stick her to a 6x6 card blank. However I then decided she would look even better as an easel card. 

For the base of the easel I turned the background through 180 degrees and again stuck it to a piece of kraft card before adding it to the base. This left me the dilemma that the pre printed bow on the background was now upside down so I made a sentiment using My Craft Studio using the digital punch feature to obtain a back ground from the central panel of the digital background to get a perfect colour match, then used the pipette tool to get a matching colour for the text, before die cutting the heart. I added more buttons on the base to give the effect of them spilling down the front of the card.

I am entering this card into the following challenges 

http://cardmaniachallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ - cute as a button 

http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - button up 

Eleven Down Thirteen to go.

This weeks challenge at Through the Purple Haze is about song/book/film/cartoon. I chose a Beatles song as the title for this scrap book page,

It is a random selection of photographs taken by three different photographers during Liverpool Beatleweek 2013. Diane and myself initially made contact as pen pals via a George Harrison Fanzine in 1998. Very soon we discovered that not only did we have an admiration of the Quiet One's music in common but we had grown up less than 20 miles apart and our Fathers had both worked at the same mine in the Nottinghamshire Coalfields. We even discovered that we used to drink in the same pub during the early 1980's although we never met. Our first meeting was in February 1999 and within minutes it was if we had known each other all our lives. We are still the best of friends and have shared the ups and downs over the years being there for each other to offer support and a shoulder to cry on or an ear to bend as required. We have shared a room together at every Beatleweek bar one since 2000. In 2012 I went to Beatleweek alone as Diane couldn't attend and if I had a pound for every time someone asked me 'Where's Di' I would never need to work again, although we have become so recognisable as 'Di and Alli' during Beatleweek that a few people did ask 'Where's Alli'.

The song about friendship and doing silly things seems perfect and it fits with the Beatles theme for the Scrap book I am putting together for Beatleweek 2013, as well as summing up our friendship over the years.

I had the backing paper which is from 'Little Yellow Bicycle' in my stash and it seemed to work for the Love and Peace philosophy of the fab's music.  I used bright orange in different shades to mount the photographs on and for the title and journalling panels to tie the design together and then added a bright purple matt behind the orange to fit in with the purple in the background paper. The eclectic mix of embellishments all have relevance to Beatleweek 2013 and the things we did. The musical symbols range from a die cut treble clef, wooden musical notes from kaisercrat that have been coloured with promarkers to pick up the colours of the peace symbols in the backing paper. the word music was a flat back from my stash and the guitar was an MDF element that I coloured using cosmic shimmer pearlescent PVA. The peace symbols, yin and yang and love symbols are all recycled ear rings. Some flat backed stars and an elephant button covered in glossy accents. The whole week is a celebration of music, peace and love, celebrating the coming together of different people and cultures under the umbrella of Beatles music. We all get very little sleep and see the stars when we gather in groups outside our base at the Adelphi hotel chatting. Finally Diane and I did something we have never done before at Beatleweek and probably will never do it again we stopped by the WWF stand in a local shopping centre and adopted an Indian Elephant each - hence the elephant button.

I am entering this project into the following challenges

http://throughthepurplehazechallenges.blogspot.co.uk inspired by song/book/film/cartoon

Ten Down Fourteen to Go

Is it really ten weeks since the Through The Purple Haze challenge blog started? There have been some super challenges so far and this weeks is no exception encouraging the use of bling.

I kept the actual design really simple and then added the bling. Unfortunately due to the lousy weather recently it has been really difficult to photograph this card as I have had to use a daylight lamp and this has bleached out the image somewhat.

I used a dark blue and light frosted blue pearlised paper and plain white card to created the card. I started by cutting a nesting label in the dark blue and the white and then matted these onto the frosted blue and dark blue paper before sticking to plain white card folded to form an A5 Card blank. The Central image is a swirly Christmas tree cut with a die which was free from a magazine - lovely image but absolutely dreadful to release from the die and it took me longer to do that and several attempts before I got a decent die cut to use, than it did to make the rest of the card. Once I had a decent image I blinged it up with self adhesive blue gems and added a sentiment cut from the dark blue paper.

I am entering this into the following challenges.
http://throughthepurplehazechallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ - bling it up

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