#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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Christmas is in the Air!

Yes! It's finally Christmas!!!

I'd like to wish you all a very happy Christmas, full of joy, love and blessings. I hope that the festive season allows you to enjoy the company of all your loved ones and that your hearts take comfort in remembering those who can no longer be there with you.

Here's the second Christmas card I made this year. In my last post with the vintage Poinsettia Card I mentioned that I have only been able to make a very few cards this year.

This year I was in a die cutting mode and for this card I played with the Tim Holtz Sizzix dies Victorian Carolers and Holiday Lamppost. The lovely glow in the lamp is down to the Rowlux illusion film, which is one of the coolest products ever! I previously used it in my Halloween lantern and I think it's perfect for light related accents.

The banner was stamped and heat embossed using Stampendous Christmas Air stamp and Detail Gold Embossing Powder.

To embellish my card a little I threw in some glitter and a few gold stars. As always, I've used adhesives from Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L.

I also made these couple of cards, simpler in design, but as you will see I was still in the die cutting mode :)

For these cards, I die cut my Vintage Noel signs from 3D Foam Creative Sheets and sprinkled them with the super lush Lime Micro Glitterand Maroon Micro Glitter.

Oh, and I added multiple accents using tissue/washi tapes  :).

That's all from me for today! Thank you for stopping by and for all your sweet comments!

With warmest festive wishes

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I would also like to enter the following challenges:
Country View Challenges - December 2017 Christmas
A Vintage Journey - Winter Wonderland
Fashionable Stamping Challenges - Celebrate

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On the Eve of Christmas Eve

Hello Friends!

Blimey! Where has the time gone?! I know I always promise (including to myself) to craft and blog more, but life has been so busy... non-crafty things always seem to get in the way... I'm sure you all know what I mean. So please forgive me for being such a poor blogger and visitor of late... I do try to visit your beautiful blogs whenever I can, although I don't always have enough time to let you know I've been...  But I do and will try to organise myself better soon! :)

Last time I blogged it was Halloween, and now it's nearly Christmas! Sheesh... I'm almost ready with my preparations. What about you? This year I only managed to make a few Christmas cards, which I hope to share over the coming days...

The first one up... is this frosty Poinsettia card.

With this year's cards I was totally in a die cutting mode so I decided to dust off my lush Cut 'N' Boss Machine (one of the best and most memorable gifts I've ever received! - thank you Santa!). I played with a selection of dies I've had for years but (please don't tell anyone, especially my hubby!)) never actually used before...Gasp! Please don't judge me... I'm sure you all know all too well what happens when a good sale comes up and you end up buying supplies in wholesale quantities...! Some dies are like a good wine, you leave them unopened to mature and they just get far better with time.. LOL :)

For this card I used the following dies and punches:
Tim Holtz Sizzix Tattered Poinsettia
Stampendous Dreamweaver Holly and Swirls DL3005
Spellbinders Layered Poinsettia
Marianne Creatables Dies LR0181
Martha Stewart Pine Branch

I also used the following supplies:
Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L: DODZ 3D, Adhesive Dots Small, E-Z Runner Grand Refillable Dispenser
Papers: Simple Stories - December Documented
Dylusions Ink Spray - White Linen

That's all from me for now! Tomorrow is Christmas Eve (yay!), and that's when me and my family will be gathering for our Christmas Eve dinner to celebrate the reason of the season... and that's when we get to open our Christmas pressies! Soooo excited to see what Santa prepared for me this year! :)

Thank you so much for stopping by today and for any sweet comments you'd like to leave. Your time and thoughts are truly appreciated. Warm festive wishes to all



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I would also like to enter the following challenges:
Country View Challenges - December 2017 Christmas
A Vintage Journey - Winter Wonderland 
Frilly and Funkie Challenge Blog - Most Memorable Gift

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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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A Christmas Wish to All - Part 1

Hello Friends! I've been promising to get back into regular blogging routine and this is still to happen - please forgive me! Hopefully I will be a much better blogger in the New Year! :)

For now, please allow me to wish you all a very happy Christmas, full of love, peace and kindness and also hope that the magic of Christmas can conquer any obstacles and sadness that may be thrown your way. May this festive season be the happiest one ever, one to remember for years to come!

As I haven't done much Christmas crafting this year I thought I would share with you a winter project that appeared in the December 2015 issue of the Craft Stamper magazine. This is actually a trio of mixed media/altered items and today I'm kicking it off with this altered winter lantern. The idea was inspired by the Halloween altered lantern I created some time ago.

If you have an old lantern that has suffered some damage to the glass panes, this is a perfect up-cycling opportunity. You can alter and decorate the lantern to your heart's content, just like I did with layers of 3D foam shapes, crackle paste, paints and DIY shimmer mists. I make my mists quite subtle as I use them more for vintage ageing and delicate shimmer than for intense colour tinting.

You can also replace the glass panels with illusion film sheets - they reflect the light beautifully and guarantee an attention-grabbing look to the whole project. And yes, they are also perfect for stamping! I found that StazOn ink works great on them and the stamped image shows through on both sides. If you want to add more colour to your images, I recommend using alcohol markers on the reverse (unstamped) side – as the markers will make the StazOn ink smudge. The blending pen will then help you move the colour around the image.

The final touches were made with textural snow (toned down with paints after it was dry) and Glossy Accents glittered icicles. To embellish my lantern I added cheese cloth, seam binding ribbon and handmade poinsettia flowers.

Supplies:
Stampendous: Cling Sweater Snowman, Cling Sweater Square, Crystal Micro Glitter, Champagne Crushed Glass Glitter, Spoonful of Pixie Dust
StazOn Ink: Jet Black
StazOn Ink: Emerald Sky
Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L®: 3D Foam Stars, 3D Foam Snowflakes, DODZ 3D
Donna Salazar with Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L®: Pigment Powder - Gold, Pink, Brown
DecoArt Dazzling Metallics ®: Oyster Pearl, Silver Sage, White Pearl
DecoArt Americiana Decor ® Chalky Finish: Everlasting
DecoArt Snow-Tex, Texture Crackle

Sizzix Tim Holtz Alterations Die: Tattered Poinsettia
Crafters Companion: Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers
Rowlux: White Moire Illusion Film
Glossy Accents
Lantern
Seam binding ribbon
Cheese cloth
Spray of foam berries

Thank you so much for stopping by and for any kind words you'd like to share to let me know you've been here :).

With big warm 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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Christmas Is In the Air And A Snowy Postcard

Re-eited: Yaaaay! My card was featured in the Designer Spotlight at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge! Woot woot!!! :)

Hello everyone and my warmest welcome on this pre-Christmas weekend :) I thought I would pop in to share another Christmas card I made - this one was inspired by Tim Holtz's December tag from 12 Tags of 2015.

I don't often play with tags (although I always promise myself to create more of them) so I extended the theme of Tim's inspiration tag onto a card.

I more or less followed the steps on Tim's tutorial. For the sprayed burlap panel I used Red Pepper Color Wash and Dreamweaver Holiday Greetings And Holly stencil. The main panel was stamped with Brilliance Pearlescent Olive ink (my fave ink ever!) using this gorgeous Stampendous Snowy Postcard stamp (my fave stamp ever!) and I added some shading with Inktense pencils (my fave pencils ever!). I also heat embossed in Detail Black the Christmas Air sentiment.

For the wreath I used a punch and dies from Martha Stewart, Spellbinders and Marianne's Designs and mounted the foliage with heaps of DODZ™ Small. Then I added a handful of baby cones (picked up outside my work office lol) and a Bella Bow sprayed with Red Pepper Color Wash. Spraying the felt bow made the ink concentrate in some parts more than in others and I loved the vintage, washed out look it created.

Finally I gave the card a light dusting with the Dylusions White Linen ink spray (my fave ink spray ever!) and a light brush with Everlasting Chalky Finish paint (my fave paints ever!).

Looks like I managed to squeeze in quite a few faves of mine in this little card lol. Oh well, I hope it was worth it and that you'll like my card! :).

Thank you for stopping by today and I'm sending you all lots of warm pre-Christmas hugs! xx




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Also linking to:
Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2015 - December
That Craft Place Challenge Blog - Christmas
Vintage Stamping Challenges #39 - Winter Trees
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Die Crazy
Country View Challenges - Create a Scene
The Craft Barn Weekly Challenge - Tree
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Just a pinch (of snow dusting)
Emerald Creek Dares - Celebrations Around the World

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Grungy Masculine Birthday Card

Hello my Lovelies! I hope you are all keeping well. Thank you so much for your heart warming comments on my previous happy news post - happy news feel so much happier too when they are shared, don't you think? :)

Just popping in to let you know that today over at Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L's blog I'm sharing this Grungy Masculine Birthday Card. I hope you will find a moment to check it out :).

Supplies:

Quick & Easy Dual Tip Glue Pen, Home & Hobby E-Z Runner® Grand Permanent Strips, Adhesive Sheets 4x6", Crafty Foam Tape - Black,

Other supplies:

Papers - Echo Park Times & Seasons; Tim Holtz Idea-ology Alphabet Soup Grungeboard
Hero Arts - Woodgrain Pattern stamp
Inks - Coffee Archival, Broken China, Brushed Corduroy Peeled Paint, Walnut Stain Distress Inks (Ranger Inks)
White and chocolate cardstock, brads, suede twine (May Arts), vintage metal plaque, faux moss.

Thank you for stopping by today and any kind words you'd like to leave - your comments are always so appreciated!

Big crafty hugs




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Above and Beyond for Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L®

Hello lovely Peeps! Apologies for keeping so quiet... I've been under the weather again...:( So, just a quick post today to let you know that today over at Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L® I'm sharing a card tutorial for this vintage masculine make.

The card will be going to a keen astronomer and an amateur astro-photographer so I thought the starry background was quite fitting :).

Supplies:

Using E-Z Stars® Refillable Runner, Gold Pigment Powder (Donna Salazar with Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L®), Crafty Foam Tape - Black, Thin 3D Foam Squares - Mix, Black 3D Foam Squares - Small, 3D Foam Stars

Other supplies:
Paper: Prima Marketing - Cartographer Collection
Stamps: Stampendous Soaring Sentiments Perfectly Clear Stamps Set
Inks: Black Archival and Tea Dye Distress Ink (Ranger Ink)
Dies: Sizzix BIGZ Tim Holtz Vintage Cabinet
Twine: May Arts

I'd love it if you found a moment to check out my tutorial :).

Thank you so much for popping in and your lovely comments letting me know you've been.

Sending you big crafty hugs...




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I am entering the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Anything Goes

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Be More [Steampunk] Dog - Scrapbook Layout

Hello Friends! I hope you are all keeping well and are enjoying the first signs of spring. 

We've had our first ever crocus in our garden. Just one. And just for a few hours until something has eaten it... We saw it first thing in the morning and by the time we got back from work - it was gone. No trace of it... we were so sad...!

Anyway... today I am back to share... a scrapbook page! I know! It doesn't happen very often on my blog :). 

But when I saw this cute little guy during our short break in Bruges last summer I just knew I had to scrap him :). I took about a hundred photos of him lol. I really loved this sweet innocent face in contrast with the Steampunk feel of the horse carriage... Isn't he just gorgeous? And I knew these new cool stamps with ScrewLoose and Sparky mates would be perfect for my layout.

Supplies:

From Stampendous:
SSC1219 ScrewLoose N Sparky Perfectly Clear™ Stamps
M323 Screwy Pals
H316 Sparky
ASCRS02 Cling Steampunk Set
NKCRS05 Cling Kaffee Klatsch Set
SSC1205 Journal Lines Perfectly Clear™ Stamps
FRM02 Gilded Mica Fragments
FRM03 Tarnished Mica Fragments
MEM01 Memento™ Tuxedo Black Ink by Tsukineko®
SSH38 Small Perfectly Clear™ Acrylic Handle

Plus:
Adhesives by Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L®: DODZ™ - 3D, DODZ™ - Small, 3D Foam Squares - Black Mix, Adhesive Sheets 4x6", Creative Photo Corners - White, E-Z Runner® Permanent Strips, 3D Foam Pennants 

Media: Clearsnap®: Smooch® Green Apple and Mocha, ColorBox® Mudslide, Ranger Ink: Color Wask Lettuce, Distress Inks Tea Dye, Crushed Olive 

Cardstock by Bazzill Basics®
Papers: 7Dots Studio - Dreamer, Authentique - Adventure Explore, corrugated cardboard scraps
Embellishments, ScrapFX chipboards, wooden and paper flowers, brads, suede ribbon/string (May Arts), Martha Stewart Doily border punch, four small photos (2x2") printed on printable canvas, black glitter alphabet stickers (K&Co)

Instructions: 
1. Trim 1/4" around a 12x12" background paper (7Dots Studio), punch around randomly, add some tears and distress the edges.
2. Add strips of pattern papers to the page. Add some spray ink and ink splatters.
3. Add stamping around the page as shown with ScrewLoose N Sparky Clear Stamps, Screwy Pals, Sparky, Cling Steampunk Set, Cling Kaffee Klatsch Set, Journal Lines Clear Stamps with black, brown and green ink. 

4. Paint Steampunk shapes with Smooch inks and adhere to the page with Adhesive Sheets. Cover any excess of the adhesive with Mica Fragments. 
5. Trim the photos leaving a small white edge, mount on corrugated cardboard mats, embellish with more stamping and brads.
6. Adhere to the page with 3D Foam Squares with DODZ™ as shown. Embellish with clusters of flowers, inked and sprayed with coordinated inks. Add coiled suede string.
7. Add the title with glitter stickers.
8. Mat the page with with Authentique - Adventure Explore paper and adhere with E-Z Runner® Permanent Strips.
9. Add final embellishments with 3D Foam Pennants covered with patterned papers and inked Creative Photo Corners.

Thank you for your visit and I hope you've enjoyed my today's offering. Be sure to pop over to the Stampendous blog to check out other great projects with Sparky and ScrewLoose friends!

Have a sunny and creative week!

Big crafty hugs


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Challenges for this project:
Just Us Girls #283 - Masculine
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - B is for.. Be More (Steampunk) Dog
Our Creative Corner - Junk In Your Trunk (corrugated cardboard scraps)

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