A Bit More Fusion!

Hi everyone,

Light evenings are back! Hooray! I detest the winter and darkness at 3.30pm. Thank goodness that is over and Spring has finally arrived. My garden looks so pretty with loads of Daffodils and Hyacinths bobbing their heads. The bluebells are well on their way to flowering next.

This is another of my attempts at Paint Fusion. Definitely more difficult than the Daisies.

I have enjoyed this very much, as it is such a different way to paint to my fave Distress Inks. It is also much quicker. You can complete a whole piece of work in the time it would take me to paint a couple of flowers!

I especially like to paint the leaves, as they are, complete with shading, finished in seconds!

I have also painted a candle but not entirely happy with the result. My friend said it looks great but I am not so sure.

I find myself looking around the house now for things to paint. The husband won't stand still long enough!!Lol! And he is too hairy!!

Thanks for stopping by and please come back soon,

luv,

Carol S. xx

Mother's Day Card

Hi Everyone,

Do you think Spring has arrived? It was such a beautiful day today and so warm. Back to thermals over the weekend though, if the forecast is right. Lol!
This is a card a friend asked me to make for her Mum.

When she collected it, she said she would like one herself from her daughters, so she will send them over to me!!

A Lilli Of the Valley stamp and guess what? I used Distress inks to colour it with!! I also used a Martha Stewart Daisy punch and also her Butterfly punches. The larger flowers were from a Marianne Creatables die and the smaller ones were made with a Woodware punch. The leaves were embossed with a Cuttlebug folder and I cut out the leaves I wanted. All with Stickles Star Dust added, for the finishing touch.

Thank you for stopping by and thank you to my new followers for joining me on my blog journey. Have a great weekend.

Luv,

Carol S. xx

Little Claire's Pink and Green Challenge.

Hi everyone,

Hope you are having a good weekend.

The Little Claire's new blog challenge starts today, so pop over and join in the fun. The theme is Pink and Green colours. The super prize is pictured below.

This is my sample I have made for the challenge. It is a photo album, with pages of card to mount photos on and also acetate pockets to pop photos in. I used some mount board for the covers, which I had in my scraps box and did the crackled paint finish. I used my Bind-it All Machine to put the book together. The Sweet Peas are painted with Eco Friendly Acrylic paints.

The little girl stamp, is from the Messing About On The River set, which is this months club stamp. Get it at www.littleclaire.co.uk/rbank I just love this beautiful stamp and hope she will feature again soon in another setting.

I wonder if her little friend behind her is her Prince!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and thanks for stopping by. Let me know what you think of my album!

Luv,

Carol S. xx

Daisies Galore!

Hi everyone,

I love these Daisy stamps from Sheena Douglass. As there are 3 different shapes, you can, like the Poppies, make your own arrangement. I stamped them with white StazOn and painted them with Eco Friendly Acrylic paints.

This is another item for our Charity sale next week. We have got 3 different colours and images and hope to get a few more items done.

We are going to try them on books and flower pots. Anything really, if it is near me I will paint it. Thank goodness we no longer have our cats!!Lol!

Thanks for visiting my blog and for leaving me such amazing comments. I just love to read them and they are so very much appreciated.
Luv,
Carol S. xx

Poppy Love!!

Hi everyone,

I just love these Poppy stamps from Sheena Douglass. Because all the elements are separate, you can create a complete picture and in a different way, each time. I have painted a few things with them, using my Eco Acrylic paints but decided to use my Distress Inks on Watercolour Board. The result is very different, a much softer effect.

I had bought this frame for a cross stitch picture I had finished but found a more suitable, coloured frame for that one. I have left the frame natural, as this picture will be going on our charity stall on Friday week. I just hope I can get a few pounds for it.

This is why I am so addicted to Distress Inks, as you get such an amazing effect so easily. I find with my Copic Pens, I cannot get anywhere near this softness in my shading and the finish looks flat. I suppose I should use them a bit more and maybe I would improve. My problem is, my Distress Inks are within arms reach of my desk!! My Copics are over the other side of my room. Perhaps I could look on the walk as exercise and maybe I would lose some weight! Much better than eating lettuce!!Lol!

I have got a few more photos to download, so will post them over the next few days.

Thank you for visiting my blog and stop by again soon.

Luv,

Carol S. xx

A Friendly Notebook

Hi Everyone,

My friend Jill and myself, are working really hard making things for our first craft market, in a nearby town. We are fundraising for a local charity I have supported for over 5 years. We are trying to make things that are unique and hopefully the other stalls will not have similar items.

Below is a small notebook I made, using a daisy stamp that was free on a magazine. I used the crackle technique on 2 pieces of white card, using emulsion paint and PVA glue. I first did this technique last summer on some photo frames. I posted them on my blog, a set of 3 blue frames decorated with flowers.

I used Distress Inks to age it a bit and make it look a bit like wood. I edged it with a gold Pentel pen.

I had the Bind It All machine from my Daughter, so I now can make other items like this. I have made another 'book' but cannot post it yet, as it is for the next Little Claire challenge, next week. So watch this space!!

We are hoping it goes well, as we have booked a table once a month for the year. We are also doing another craft market, in a local village the following day!! I think we are a bit mad!Lol!

As it is only 23.22, I am going back to my desk to do some more painting!
Thank you for visiting my blog and for your lovely comments.

Luv,

Carol S. xx

A Day with Little Claire

Hi everyone,

Little Claire are holding a card making day on Saturday 18th June 2011, at the Holiday Inn, Chester. It will be run by Heidi and Helen Richards.

It's a whole day of making the most amazing cards with the Little Claire team. Everything is provided to give you the best time - you will be guided step-by-step to make your own gorgeous Little Claire cards and you will be the first to use and keep, two new Little Claire stamp sets, never seen until the day.

All materials, (more stamps, lovely ribbons, stickers, sentiments, papers etc) are included and Gill and Steve will be there to look after you and will provide food and drink throughout the day, together with a buffet lunch.

Classes will run from 9am - 12pm and 1.30 - 4.30pm. The Little Claire day will be held at the Holiday Inn, Chester and places are limited to 40. The day costs £100 which is fully inclusive of all materials, two new Little Claire stamp sets, food and drink and lots of ideas and inspiration, peppered with a smattering of fun!

A £50 deposit is payable at time of booking and £50 to be paid by Tuesday 31st May 2011. Club members will receive 10% discount from cost.

If you would like to stay over the night before, a room can be booked for you at the hotel. To book this amazing day, please call Little Claire on: 0844 800 4376 or email carol@littleclaire.co.uk and this will secure your place.

I will not be able to attend, as I am going on holiday that day. Yippee!! I haven't had a holiday for 2 years. We are off to Devon and Dorset, as we can't face the Airports at the moment and as we have heard the Spanish ATC are going to play up throughout the summer. So we thought we would give that a miss. We haven't holidayed here for over 30 years! Just hope the weather will be kind to us.

I am sure you will have a good day with the team.

Luv,

Carol S.xx

Little Claire 2nd Blog Challenge

Hi everyone,

Just a quick note to let you know that the Little Claire 2nd Blog Challenge is running at the moment. Apologies for this late notice.

The rules are on the Blog and the theme is 'Flowers'. The yummy prize is pictured below.

You can enter 3 times only. So good luck with your entries.

Hope to be posting in the next couple of days.

Thanks for stopping by.
Luv,
Carol S.xx

A Pink Wedding

Hi Everyone,

This is another card I was asked to make by a friend. She works as head of admin for the charity I support, Stildon Brendoncare in East Grinstead.

The roses on the heart, I stamped with Versafine and coloured with Spun Sugar Distress Ink. I also 3D'd the front petals and leaves.

The brief for this one was, oyster or pale pink roses, Pearls and Diamante in her bouquet. I made the card as a gate fold for a change. The pearls I attached to the back of the top heart, with feathers and ribbon. Also 3 of my dries white glue pearls, dusted with Cosmic Shimmer Mica Powders and put on the left side of the heart. The scalloped heart was then stuck to the back with foam pads.

I stuck a crystal gem onto the butterflies and the rose. I also attached some ribbon under the heart and wrapped it around the card and tied it at the side to close.

I stamped and embossed roses in white, on the inside paper, with a crystal gem on the petals. I also edged the paper with silver.

All the butterflies were Martha Stewart punches, with a little Distress Ink, Spun Sugar, on the edges.

Well off to bed for an early night! It is 12.15am, so should be in bed by 12.45.

Thanks for visiting my blog and thank you for all the lovely messages on my last few posts. I really do appreciate them.

Luv,

Carol S. xx

The Box At Last!!

Hi everone,

I finally managed it!! This is the box I made for the wedding card to go in. Very simple, but makes it not just a card, but a gift.

The flowers are a 2" Woodware punch, white card and H20s, topped with a spritz of Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist, Gold. A touch of Stickles on the edge of the petals.

The greeting was stamped with Versamark and embossed with detail embossing powder.

The backing paper I found in my scrap box. I used a Martha Stewart punch on the corners. Finished with a few punched leaves and a feather.

Thanks for visiting my blog and please come back soon.

Luv,

Carol S. xx

A Pink And Blue Pair, From Little Claire!

Hi All,

Her she is again, pretty in pink and blue. Her hat, top and left wellie, I have 3D with foam pads, just for a bit of added dimension.

I love her hat. My daughter Becky, who is now 37 and a Mum herself to 5 year old Mia and 7 month old Lucca, had quite a few hats like this. I used to make all her dresses and tops, with sun hats to match!

I have coloured the image with Distress Inks. All the papers are from my stash and I have added Distress Inks to the edges with Dry Foam. The sentiment stamp is also from Little Claire. I curved it as I placed it into an acrylic block.

The flowers and leaves are from Marianne Creatables dies and the butterflies are a Martha Stewart punch. All edged with Distress Inks and Star dust Stickles.

She still hasn't caught a fish!! Her hat, the boat front and the water, are all 3D with foam pads. I have also used Glossy Accents on the water and the fish.
The swirls are Nestabilities flourish dies.

The 'dots' are just PVA glue, dotted onto shiny paper and when dry, I dusted them with Cosmic Shimmer Mica Powders.
Just a little Stickles here and there to give a lift!

Thank you so much for the lovely comments on the last posting. They are better than any tonic you could buy!

Thanks for visiting and I will post my box tomorrow.

Luv,

Carol s.xx

Little Claire March Club Stamps

Hi everyone,

It was freezing today!! I thought Spring was getting nearer!Lol!

I am in love with this stamp from Little Claire! The day it arrived in the post, I had just come in from the Supermarket. I dumped my shopping in the hall, picked up my letters and saw the envelope from Little Claire. I opened it straight away and when I saw this stamp, I went into my craft room and didn't come out for over an hour!!

I had completely forgotten about the shopping!! Fortunately there was nothing frozen.Lol!

Her frog wellies are so cute. She sat on my desk, painted but not cut out for days. I just liked looking at her!

Guess what?! I coloured her with Distress Inks. The flowers are made from a Woodware punch, from The Craft Barn. Cut from a Papermania assorted paper pad and edged with Walnut Stain distress Ink.

Check out the Little Claire Shop as she was only launched today. Get her while you can.

This little girl in the boat is also a new release today. How cute is the dog? I think, he thinks he is on Titanic!! Or, he is a fish eating dog!Lol!
Check out the fish avoiding the bait, as fish do.

These stamps are my favourite of the moment. The thing is with Little Claire, they keep bringing out such lovely stamps, that I can't wait for release day!! It's so hard waiting!

I have just remembered, that I still have not posted the box I made for the Wedding card. I just was so excited that I could finally post these little girls!Lol!

Will try tomorrow to post it.

Thanks for visiting my blog and a BIG thank you to all my new followers. It thrills me to read all your lovely comments.

Luv and hugs,

Carol S. xx