#lovely Plum Crazy Tag

Re-edited: I am absolutely thrilled to say that my tag has been chosen as one of the winners of the Dusty Attic's November Moodboard challenge!!! Yay!!  :)

Hello my lovelies,

I hope you're managing to keep away from the wind and autumnal chill and are crafting away something fabulous instead :).

I'd like to share a little tag I created, having a deep plum v autumnal vibe in mind.

I don't get much time (or mojo, sadly...) to craft these days but I was totally bowled over with the Dusty Attic's November moodboard inspiration photo. I love all things purple and the yummy plums on the collage got my creative juices going. Oh, and what about that yummy looking cake with the beautiful leafy crust? So 'Thank you' Dusty Attic for such a delicious inspiration to get me crafting again! Yay! :)

I just couldn't resist it, so I thought I would try to create something for their November challenge. The DT are actually all playing with notebooks this month but that wasn't where my creative muse was taking me, sorry! And since she's a very capricious lady I had to follow the path she was leading me on lol :).

The patterned paper base of my tag includes some stamping and  'double (or triple even?) embossing'. First, I debossed the tag with a Cuttlebug embossing folder and then I embossed the impressed image with Garnet Grenat embossing powder. Then I added some stamping with the Brush Stroke stamp and embossed it with Rose Gold powder.

I also decided to paint some artificial leaves with DecoArt paints to wrap my bouquet of 'harvested' flowers, berries, foliage and frilly grasses.

The flowers and the tag were tinted with Merlot spray ink and I generously sprinkled my harvest bouquet with Mini Prills and Twinklets Diamond Dust. I also added a #lovely chippy from the Dusty Attic Hashtag Sayings #2 set. I heat embossed it with Honey Miel and Rose Gold powders.

Main supplies:
Stampendous: Brush Strokes stamp, embossing powders in Honey Miel, Rose Gold, PEARLustre Garnet Grenat
Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L: 3D Foam Squares - Black, Dual Tip Glue Pen, Extreme Double-sided Tape
Dusty Attic - Hashtag Sayings #2
DecoArt: Metallic Lustre - Champagne Ice, Americana acrylics in Country Red, Royal Fuchsia, Dioxazine Purple, Bittersweet Chocolate, Snow White
Distress Inks: Seedless Preserves, Dusty Concord, Aged  Mahogany, Forest Moss, Black Soot
Memories Most - Merlot

I might have gone a bit crazy with my embellies but hey, who was I to argue with my creative muse if that's what she craved?! lol :)

That's all from me for now, my Friends! Thank you for stopping by and for any lovely comments you may wish to leave to let me know you've been!

Have a very creative week!

Big crafty hugs




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I'm also entering the following challenges:
Frilly and Funkie - A Harvest of Gratitude challenge
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Thanks/Thanksgiving
Rhedd's Creative Spirit - Anything Goes
A Vintage Journey - Paper Stash

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Peeking Out From Behind Autumnal Leaves...

So.... It's been a while, hasn't it? I hope you're all keeping well! :)

I thought I would show you this little project I made a while ago but just haven't had a chance to share.

This is a little layered mini album / shadowbox thinggy I made as a keepsake from my nephew's Christening. I was inspired by the awesomeness of layered shadow card kits from Heartfelt Creations. I didn't have the exact supplies so decided to free style it and create my own thing using a selection of dies (Spellbinders and Marianne's Design).....

and punches and flowers from Hobbycraft and 49 and Market...

and Mini Prills and lots of other lush embellies... :). All secured in place with a range of adhesives from Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L.

Thank you so much for your visit today...

Big crafty hugs!




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I would like to enter the following challenges:
Country View Challenges October - Plant-tastic
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Anything But a Card
JUGS #462 - Celestial Elements (stars)

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Sunflowers In Spring? Why Not?!

Hello Friends! I hope this post will find you well! :). A very warm welcome to my newest readers and the regular followers, too! So happy to see you here!

Can you feel it? Can you smell it? Yes, Spring is finally in the air! Beautiful sunny banks of daffodils, cheerful bunches of tulips, magnolia blooms... aaah, I love this time of year! 

In keeping with the season our Stampendous HQ powers are focusing on all things Spring this week and I wanted to join in, too! Here's a birthday card I made for my Mum and while sunflowers are not normally associated with Spring, I thought these lovely sunny blooms would be a great addition to my delicate springtime lilacs hiding in the background.

I stamped the Lilac and Sunny Vase flowers on the Mixed Media Paper and coloured the images with Inktense pencils. I then die cut the images with the corresponding Sunny Vase and Lilac die sets. I varied the height of the blooms with my trusty 3D Foam Squares from Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L.

For my background and vase I used some papers from 7Dots Studio which I stamped with Scrollwork Leaves and which I embossed with the Dreamweaver Metallic Gold Embossing Paste over the Corner Flourishes stencil. The little tag is from the Sunny Vase stamps set.

For the bottom of my vase I sprinkled some flower dust - aka Frantage and (my newly re-discovered loOOOove for) the encrusted jewel technique. I used Bronze Glass Glitter, Spoonful of Rust, Copper Lux Mix and Shabby White Embossing Enamel. 

I finished the card with a little butterfly - because I absolutely looove butterflies and always look for an excuse to add one in lol :).

Also sharing today are:

Stampendous Blog
Pam Bray
Louise Healy

I hope you've enjoyed today's post and thank you for all your lovely comments that you may wish to leave (please do!) :). Have a fabulous day!

Big crafty hugs




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Seasons Givings Giveaway Blog Hop - Year 5

Hello Friends, I am absolutely delighted to be again taking part in the Seasons Givings blog hop. This is the fifth year running of this fabulous initiative started by our talented hostess Latisha Yoast. This is a wonderful blog hop to say 'thank you' to all our blog readers and followers for their time and kindness whenever they visit our blogs.

My blog had been a bit neglected in this last year and I am really sorry for being such a bad blogger in the recent months. My attention and focus were very much directed to finding my own feet in the new job, settling in the new house and I've started professional studies, too. Somehow these things have exhausted my creative muse which was hiding somewhere reappearing only occasionally and for very short moments. But even with such infrequent posting I have been really touched to see that many of my blog friends remained in contact and for that I want to express my heartfelt gratitude ❤❤❤.

This blog hop is so fabulous for two more reasons. The participating blogs wil be sharing some wonderful crafty inspiration as well as offering some delicious giveaways as a way to say 'thank you'. So be sure to visit them all to see what gems and treasures are waiting for you there!

My inspiration for you is this mixed media canvas panel which I created at the back of this Retro Girl With Attitude project that I shared a while ago.

Supplies:

Stampendous: Beautiful Braid Rubber Stamp, Peacock Background Stencil, Creative Palette Rounds

Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L: Black 3D Foam Tape, Thin 3D Foam Squares - Black, 3D Foam Pennants, Home & Hobby Extreme Double-Sided Tape - 1/4"

DecoArt Americana Acrylics: Ocean Blue, Ultramarine Blue, Bright Green, Antique Green, Light Buttermilk

Spectrum Noir markers:
Hair: LY1, LY3, GB1, GB3, GB7, GB9, GB10, EB7
Face: FS1-FS5, CR2, CR3, CR6, IG1, IB2
Blouse: JG1, DG1, CG2, CG4, GB2, GB10

White and gold chalk markers, Sakura Clear Star pen, black chalk pencil
Tim Holtz Idea-Ology - Small Talk stickers

Now,  onto my giveaway:

The package includes:
Cling rubber stamps - Stampendous
Adhesives - Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L
mulberry paper roses

Stampendous cling rubber stamps: Lion Reader, Pajama Cat, Lion Crown, Unicorn Forest, PenPattern Cake, Snowy Sled, Tin Man Reader, Sir Toad, Birthday Jazz Cats, Lion With Lamb, Eagle Rock, Picnic Ants, Bundled Kitty, Puppy Pals, PenPattern Frog, Hippo Cycler, Amazing Shoes, Snowman Warm Ears, Newspaper Pup, Hedgehog, Running Horse, Patriotic Painters, Hanging Jeans, Teacup Sailing

Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L: Mounting Squares (clear), Black Photo Corners, Clear Photo Corners, Click 'n Stick Mounting Squares, White Photo Corners x2, 3D Foam Easter Shapes, 3D Foam Party Shapes. Thin 3D Foam Squares - White

To enter my Giveway simply leave a comment at the end of this post letting me know what your favourite achievements or memories in 2016 have been - crafty or otherwise. I have quite a few ones to cherish, we moved onto a new house, I started a new job, we visited my family in Poland in the summer, my best friends have welcomed new arrivals into their families... just to name a few! :)

You do not have to become a follower of my blog to enter this giveaway but I would be delighted if you chose to become one :). You can follow my blog via the Google Friend Connect ('Join this site' button in my sidebar), on Bloglovin' or by subscribing by email (or you can enter your email in the sidebar gadget).

You can enter until midnight (GMT) on 6th January 2017 and I will draw the winner on the 7th January 2017 :). I will endeavour to contact the winner directly - please be sure I can easily find a way of contacting you back - either via your blog or by leaving your email address with your entry. If the contact is not successful, I will draw another winner/s.

You can also find me on Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Flickr :).

Ps. I have another surprise giveaway on my Instagram profile so be sure to check it out,  too! :)

So here's the list of who's joining in with the Fifth Season of Givings!:

Lawn Fawn
Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L
Reverse Confetti
Taylored Expressions
Paper Smooches
Neat & Tangled
Technique Tuesday
Clear & Simple Stamps
Richard Garay
My Sweet Petunia
JustNick
Stamp Simply Ribbon Store
Sunny Studio Stamps
Inchie Arts llc
Scrapbook Update
Buttons Galore
Latisha Yoast (our lovely hostess!)
Julia Stainton
ChariMoss
Cristina Nunez
Wanda Guess
Vera Yates
Amy Tsuruta
Mary-Ann Maldonado
Lori Craig
Lydia Fiedler
Jenn Shurkus
Lisa Henke
Dina Kowal
Libby Hickson
Emily Leiphart
Cindy Lawrence
Kelly Klapstein
Erica Houtghton
Elise Constable
Julee Tillman
Lee Murphy
Lisa Arana
Giovana Smith
Karen Baker
Lindsay Amrhein
Dana Joy
Marcie Sharp
Megan Hoeppner
Alicia Thelin
Asia King (you are here!)
Debbie Seyer
Yvonne Van De Grijp
Tenia Nelson
Michelle Woerner
Christina Griffiths
Lori McAree
Barbara Anders
Jill Hawkins
Veronica Zalis
Leigh Penner
Margie Higuchi
Amy Coose
Melody Rupple
Karen Letchworth
Heidi Ramsey Blankenship
Jennie Harper
Jodi Collins
Jessica Frost-Ballas
Gracie Chavez
Stephanie Klauck
Savannah O'Gwynn
Terre Fry
Neva Cole
Maria Levine
Misti Oblander
Ceal Pritchett

My biggest thanks are going to Latisha for organising and hosting this fantastic event!

Now,  it's only time to wish you all a very happy New Year,  full of love, happiness and kindness to and from others. And of course, may this new year be full of creativity and positive energy to achieve the impossible!

Big hugs

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A Christmas Wish to All - Part 2

Hello Friends! I hope you had an amazing Christmas period, enjoyed together with your family and friends. Ours was lovely, too - spent with family, friends and... a leaking radiator! Not exactly my choice of Christmas entertainment if you ask me but it could've been worse :). We moved into our new home earlier this year and the house is still throwing surprises at us here and there!

As promised, here's the second companion from my Christmas Lights set - in my previous post I shared this Christmas lantern and I have one more item to share :).

I love how church candles can be altered with stamped images - they can easily transform ordinary candles into magical ornaments. I've previously shared on my blog another set of altered Christmas candles and I also have one in my Easter Home Decor set.

Stamped images can easily transform ordinary candles into magical ornaments

For my altered candle I stamped this beautiful image onto tissue paper and I coloured it with Spectrum Noir markers first. I also used the alcohol ink markers and an air spritzer to give my Crystal Angel a whimsical look. Then I adhered the image to the candle by gently melting the tissue into the wax.

Use alcohol ink markers and an air spritzer for a whimsical look

To melt tissue into the wax evenly, wrap the candle tightly with grease-proof paper, carefully heat with a heat gun until the image underneath looks sharper and continue to hold the sheet until the wax cools down.

As a finishing touch, I added a glittered 3D foam snowflake, some handmade poinsettia flowers with glass glitter 3D DODZ centres and some lace and seam binding ribbons.

Add handmade poinsettia flowers, ribbons and lace to create a shabby chic look

Supplies:

Stampendous: cling Crystal Angel; Crystal MicroGlitter; Champagne Crushed Glass Glitter

Memento Ink: Tuxedo Black

Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L®: 3D Foam Snowflakes; 3D DODZ

Sizzix Tim Holtz Alterations Die: Tattered Poinsettia

Crafters Companion: Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers

Church candle

Seam binding ribbon

Pearl lace

Cheese cloth

Spray of foam berries

Decorative pins

Tissue paper

Air spritzer tool

I hope you've enjoyed today's post. Thank you for stopping by and for your lovely comments!

Big hugs


I would like to enter the following challenges:
Mixed Media Place - December mood board
Country View Challenges - Christmas
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Make It Sparkle
Fashionable Stamping Challenges - Anything Goes
Mixed Media Monthly Blog Challenge - Merry and Bright

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Happy Birthday To Our Janelle!

I know I've been AWOL for a very long time and I promise to get back into a blogging mode very soon :).

But today I am popping in to send a birthday wish to someone very special :). Janelle at Rain Puddles Design, a truly gifted artist who is also the right hand of our Stampendous DT Boss, is celebrating her birthday today!

Janelle always works her socks off tirelessly to help run the Stampendous blog and events as smoothly as possible. So the whole Stampendous gang is joining in today for a little birthday wish blog hop to show this fantastic lady how much we love and appreciate her and how grateful we are for all the amazing things she does for us!

Unfortunately the installation of my craft room is still in progress (more on that soon, I promise!) so I haven't been able to make a card for this occasion, but my teammies have prepared some fabulous creations for Janelle! Be sure to check them all out our here:

Stampendous blog

This beautiful image is the Stampendous Sketchy Blooms stamp coloured by me using Spectrum Noir markers :)

So Janelle, you are AMAZING my friend! You always go out of your way to help with anything and you are one of the nicest people on Earth! And you are a truly inspirational artist - I sooo want to be like you, when I grow up! :) Happy birthday lovely girl! I hope you have an amazing day!




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Today Is A Good Day

Hello my lovelies! Warmest welcome to all my new and regular readers! :)

Today over at Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L I am sharing this shimmery art tag and you can see my post here. I created a DIY background using gorgeous Pigment Powders - but to find out more, please hop over to the Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L's blog!

Supplies:

Donna Salazar with Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L® Pigment Powders - Gold, Pink, Brown, Wine (coming soon!) and Silver (coming soon!); Lace Ribbons; Ash Washi Tape (coming soon!)

Adhesive Sheets 4x6", DODZ™ - Small, DODZ™ - 3D, DODZ™ - XL, Thin 3D Foam Squares - Mix Black

Other supplies:

Stampendous: Cling Vintage Letter stamp, Clear Detail Embossing Powder
Donna Salazar Designs MIX'D MEDIA INX - Chiffon
Liquid Pearls, flowers, ornamental berries, manila tag, seam binding ribbon

I really like this colour combo for Spring time projects and the Pigment Powders worked perfectly for me - just like in this Spring Time Art card.

And I just looooove these little Styrofoam berries, they are so cute, don't you think? I bought them in the 'after Christmas sales' a year ago for 50p - a real bargain and I still have loads of them left! I've also used them in this Bird's Nest Artist Trading Block project if you'd like to have another peek. 

I hope you like my first project of the new year! Thank you so much for stopping by today and for your lovely comments!

Big crafty hugs




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On A Bed Of Moss And Berries, There Sleep The Woodland Fairies

Morning everyone! A very happy welcome to my newest followers - thank you so much for joining in! :).

Time for another post for Scrapbook Adhesives By 3L® and my today's offering is still very much in an autumnal mode. I really enjoy driving through roads lined up by old trees displaying their full autumnal glory. And I love watching the leaves flirtatiously dancing in the wind :). And the smell of the wood smoke from nearby fields and gardens... hmmm... I always think it's quite a romantic time of year. Would you agree?

Today I have a mixed media wall art for you to enjoy. This project was quite 'involved' so here you will find out more about the medialicious part of it, whereas over at Scrapbook Adhesives By 3L's blog I am focusing on the adhesive side of things :).

This altered shadow box was so much fun to make. It's full of textures, flowers and vintage flavour - I am really happy with the way it turned out :). Despite the fact that it evolved completely from the original plan - but which creative play doesn't? :)

My woodland fairy started its life as a little resin-plaster mask which I was hoping to decorate in a Venetian style with layers of frilly fabrics and lace. I bought this mask ages ago in a charity shop - it had some flourishes painted in bright colours and covered in glitter. But that wasn't the 'look' I was after so I decided to cover it all up with layers of base paint.

The picture above is to show you what the mask looked like before the big make-over :). Inspired by the autumn season I painted the mask yellow. I tried to add some fancy features to the mask with a stenciled butterfly. I also added some stenciling to the background. Click through to read more about the stenciling process and supplies I used.

At that point I thought the mask looked rather tribal and I couldn't find anything else in my stash to help me with my Venetian theme. So I took a different route altogether and decided to go with a woodland theme :).

The mask was going to become my woodland/tree witch. After painting my mask again the texture of the stenciled butterfly still showed through and it looked like little tree bark wrinkles, which I quite liked.

As I wanted the mask to look more like a face, I needed to find eyes for the empty eye sockets. After a long and unsuccessful hunt I decided to try to create the eye lids with my trusty DODZ™-3D. Let me tell you a secret - I can't live without my DODZ™-3D! This stuff is unbeatable in so many ways, waaaaay beyond its primary function of big glue dots :).

With a little help of texture paste to smooth out some parts, the DODZ worked perfectly! That's how my fairy became a sleeping fairy :).

I painted the face with Enchanted Chalky Finish paint (so appropriate for my enchanting fairy! lol) and then gave it a couple of washes with Quinacridone Gold and Dazzling Metallic paints. I rested the fairy's head on a bed of dry flowers, fruits, berries and faux moss (most have been rescued from old charity shop finds) and secured in place with lots of glue.

For the frame I first added heaps of Texture Crackle, layering it quite thick in places and I let it dry overnight. Next I chipped some chunks off, exposing the raw wood of the frame - I wanted to create an old, rough, chipped paint effect. I painted the frame with Enchanted, Coffee Bean, Country Red and Quinacridone Gold, wiping it off in places with a baby wipe. Then I misted it with White Linen and a DIY Gold Mica spray.

Finally I added some gold highlights with a Rub-N-Buff wax.

Supplies:

DODZ™ – 3D; Dodz™ XL; Quick & Easy Dual Tip Glue Pen; Pigment Powders: Gold, Pink, Brown (Donna Salazar with Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L®), DIY Gold pigment powder mist

Media:

Color Wash ink sprays (Ranger) – Red Pepper, Butterscotch, Lettuce; Dylusions White Linen Ink Spray; Vermillion Archival Ink (Ranger)

DecoArt: Dazzling Metallics: Silver Sage, Oyster Pearl; Americana Acrylics: Country Red, Multi-Surface Satin: Muted Gold, Coffee Bean; Chalky Finish: Enchanted; Media Fluid Acrylic Quinacridone Gold; 
DuraClear Ultra Matte Varnish, Texture Crackle, Fabric Stiffener, Vintage Butterfly stencil

Dreamweaver Translucent Embossing Paste; wooden frame, resin-plaster mask, Gold Rub-N-Buff wax

Stampendous – Cling Vintage Letter; The Crafters Workshop Mini Chickenwire Reversed stencil

The cheese cloth head scarf wrapped around the face and the frame was first inked up and then soaked in the Fabric Stiffener.

I would love to know what you think of my Sleeping Fairy :). Please also check the stenciling and adhesive details over at Scrapbook Adhesives' blog - and I would really appreciate it if you had a comment to leave a comment over there as well :).

Thank you all so much for all your kind words - your comments are always so appreciated! Have a fabulous week my friends!

Big crafty hugs




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Challenges for this project:
Country View Challenges #32 - Add some texture
JUG #316 - Hexagons
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Wrap It Up
Rhedd's Creative Spirit Altered Art Challenge October - Anything Goes
Fashionable Stamping Challenges #104 - Changing Seasons
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Throwback (inspired by Autumn is in the Air challenge)
Try It On Tuesdays - Lots of Layers

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Autumnal Wishes With Watercolour Brusho Background

Good morning Friends! Can you feel it? Yep, autumn is definitely here! To celebrate its arrival and the glorious colours it brings I decided to create this autumnal birthday card.

And as it happens, today over at Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L's blog I am sharing a step tutorial for this Autumnal Birthday Card. 

I'd love it if you found a few moments to check out my tutorial and if you do, please let me know what you think :).

Supplies:
3D Foam Leaves, Home & Hobby Extreme Double-Sided Tape - 1/2" Permanent, DODZ™ - 3D, DODZ™ - Small, Quick & Easy Dual Tip Glue Pen, Donna Salazar with Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L® Pigment Powders Gold and Brown

Other supplies:
Yellow and terracota cardstock, green patterned paper scraps, watercolour paper
Stencil - Designs by Ryn, Hibiscus
Rubber Stamp - Anita's
Spellbinders - Spiral Blossom One die (for the big rose flower); Martha Stewart Pine Branch punch
(Dylusions), Spiced Chai StazOn Mini (Tsukineko), gold permanent pen
Ribbon (May Arts), distressing tool, paper flowers, gems, water mister

Media:

Brusho crystals, Barn Door and Fired Brick Distress Inks (Ranger), White Linen Ink Spray, DIY pigment sprays (gold and brown)

Do you like my today's offering? This is the first time I played with my new Brusho crystals (a birthday pressie from my BFF). For more details on how I made this card be sure to check out my Autumnal Birthday Card Tutorial.

Happy Autumn/Fall everyone!

Big crafty hugs



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I would like to enter the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Wonderful Watercolour
Vintage Stamping Challenges #37 - Use a die
JUGS #314 Trend Week - Use a stencil
Country View Challenges #32 - Add some texture
Fashionable Stamping Challenges #104 - Changing Seasons
Frilly & Funkie Challenge Blog - Autumn Splendor

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