Anything goes at Incy Wincy

Hi all

Another Monday, moan moan.. back to work, doesn't feel as though I have had a weekend though! Hopefully this week will not be a busy as last week, had a long long week at work, it felt as though it was never going to be weekend lol!

This weeks challenge over on Incy Wincy is one for everyone as it is anything goes, no excuses peeps, all of you can join in!!!

We are being sponsored this week by Aspire to Thrive Children's Charity and the prize is an amazing $10 voucher to the shop.

The images on my card are available to buy over on ATTCC and don't forget you are helping out a worthwhile charity when you buy the images!



I have made my card using Inger Harding - Chelsea 4 and ATTCC Wishing Well. The images are coloured in using Promarkers, the small roses are from my stash and the ribbon flower is one of those fiddly ones I made a while ago! Papers are by Paper Cellar.

I am entering this into the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp - Sketch
Passion for Promarkers - Handmade flowers

Funky kitchen in the Play Date Cafe

Hi all

Not such a relaxing weekend as I would have hoped for really, however I have had some time to make a card for the Play Date Cafes colour challenge. Last week I got an honorable mention on there, cheers ladies!
The inspiration this week is of a funky bright kitchen, I love the kitchen in this photo but only because it is not in my house lol, my taste in home decor is somewhat more muted than this, I would definitely need a coffee to wake me up before facing this lime green in the morning!

This is not a colour scheme I would normally put together on my cards either but I actually think I quite like it!



The thistle stamp is PaperArtsy hot picks stamped in Adirondack Denim, the stems are Leaf Green promarker. Papers are Basic Grey and I have used an artist sketch pen to draw in the lines of the top paper to tone the lime down a bit. Sentiment is computer generated, the brad started it's life off as hot pink so I coloured it in using a Royal Blue promarker and then Sail Boat Blue alcohol ink. The lime lace is from my stash and the flower is singed dark blue chiffon ribbon (luckily I didn't singe my fingers lol).

Charming!

Hi all

Just a quickie from me this morning as I am on my way to Blackpool for day 2 of a conference!

Over on Sweet Pea Stampers this week we have a charming challenge for you, what is it? Use a charm on your card. Not sure what happened to the charm on my card but it is too late and I am out of time to take another photo!! Maybe tonight when I get back, in the meantime you will just have to live with a wonky charm lol!

I coloured the image using Cosmic Shimmers which I haven't used for AGES!! Flowers are from my stash and the gorgeous flocked ribbon is from my blogging buddy Anita

All white over on Incy Wincy

Hi all

Well someone has once again nicked the weekend and Monday has come round far too quickly!

Over on Incy Wincy Designs this week we have an erm challenging challenge! Well I found it challenging anyway, think I need therapy after managing this on lol. We are challenging you to make a project using all white, except the image which can be coloured hehe. Oh I tell you my fingers were itching to add a little colour here and there!!!

This week we have an another great sponsor Prairie Fairy



I coloured the image using promarkers and my Martha Stewart doily punch did some hard work making all the layers. Ribbon and flower from my stash.

Something different - Kenny K for Jack

Hi all

I was really chuffed that over on Lets Ink It Up I was picked as one of the Top 3 for last weeks challenge!! I had entered my vintage tag book... thanks girls, my badge is on my blog's lapel and being worn with pride!!

Zaid's friend Jack is turning 15 on Monday and went to a sleepover at his house last night. I thought at 14 Zaid would have preferred a shop bought card and he would think a handmade card by Mum is not the done thing anymore, but he flatly refused a shop bought card insisting all his friends look forward to getting a card off him LOL!

This is the first time I have used a Kenny K image, this one is a freebie download available for September. Just wanted to make something quick, easy and unfussy so I coloured the image in using my trusty Promakers, papers are from my Creative Craft World DT kit and are by Cherry Arte - Basic Blue. Incidentally CCW has free P & P on UK orders until midnight tonight!

I am entering this into the new Kenny K challenge which is to include stitching on the card so as I have had such a disastrous week with killing things off I thought I better stay clear of a needle and thread lol!

I am also entering this into the following challenges:

Stamping Vacation - No, No challenge (no sparkle)

Sarah Hurley - Polka dots and circles

Andy Warhol in The Play Date Cafe!!!

Hi all

I have had some really bad luck today an I am not happy... AGAIN!!! Do not let me touch anything valuable as it will never be the same again once I get my hands on it, seriously I am a walking destruction machine this week lol. First my camera SD card, I thought that was bad but this time I think I have killed something, eherm this is not a confession of a murder, not a real one anyway... I have managed to destruct the indestructible... my BIG SHOT. I was double embossing some card with a Cuttlebug folder and nestabilities and I must have overloaded my sandwich, there was no warning crack noise, nothing at all to suggest it was going to give up the ghost!!! The handle has snapped off and one of the cogs inside has lost a tooth (anyone know of a cog dentist?). Seriously, I am not fit to be let loose on anything these days!!!

To rub salt into the wound I ordered myself one of the new Tim Holtz Dies (Tattered Leaves) from LB Crafts which came amazingly quickly and arrived today (thanks Karen, brilliant customer service), so until I can get my Big Shot fixed I can only stroke the packaging and imagine what I am going to make!!! Talk about torture!

Anyhow, I have fallen in love with this colourful little house over on The Play Date Cafe which is this weeks inspirational photo.

Can you imagine coming home from a stressful days work to this? Just love all the colours, the white picket fence and those cacti are just gorgeous!

I have used the "colour story" to create an Andy Warhol inspired creation, now I am not a massive fan of Warhol's work per se, especially since Lady Gaga has allegedly claimed she takes "fashion advise from the spirit of Warhol", hmmm... got this from a Guardian article.


I used the free stamp from craft Stamper Magazine and coloured it using Promarkers, the splish of splash is again using my favourite spray of the moment Crafty Notions Kingfisherliscious and the "visage" stamp was another freebie from Craft Stamper. I surprised myself with this card actually as although it is bare compared to my usual makes I love the Clean and Simple look which I was inspired to try out by looking at the Crafty Cardmakers DT inspirations (that's their current challenge)

Altered frame and my camera is poorly!!

Hi all

As you may have gathered from my heading I am not at all 'appy!! One minute my camera was perfectly OK, merrily letting me snap my altered frame from all angles, trying with the flash, without the flash, zooming in, zooming out, with that little tulip thingy icon on (macro) and the next minute it is throwing a right wobbler!! First of all it was screaming at me the memory card needs formatting, well I was a bit peeved as this would mean losing all the photos I had just taken - BUT I could live with that. So I went along with it's suggestion to format and next thing the lights are flashing (on the camera not that house or paparazzi haha - yes I am in Bolton, yes I live around the corner from Mr Rooney's "business acquaintance" but I am not that desperate to earn £1200 a night... well, hmmm thinking of all the crafting stuff I could get lol) anyhow, I digress, the camera then starts shouting (well not literally) that it can't read the memory card!!! I have made sure it isn't locked, blown on it, rubbed it, shouted, screamed and swore at it but it still won't work arrrgggghhhhh!!!! Will borrow my Mothers camera in the morning and try and take another shot in daylight as the grunge rose looks really dark on this picture!

Soooo for now there is an even more rubbish photo than normal of my little altered frame.



First of all I used alcohol inks for the backgrounds (thanks Ei for the nudge in getting out from their dark hiding place lol) and then using Stazon stamped various PaperArtsy Hot picks stamps (1004). The texture on the frame was not made with any super crafty stuff, I don't own any gesso, ferro or terra so I erm used pollyfilla it is probably;y some heinous crime against crafting but needs must!! I tried making an impression using a deeply etched stamp but all I ended up with was a gunky stamp and having to apply more polllyfilla to the frame, as it was a day of improvising I got a dessert fork and dragged the prongs through the plaster to add texture. Once it had dried I sponged distress inks over it and then sprayed some Crafty Notions Kingfisherlicious spray over it.


The flower at the top is another PaperArtsy stamp (HPXT02) stamped again onto an alcohol inked background. The moth is from the (HP1004) plate and I blinged it up with some Suze Weinbergs Bedazzles (but you can't see it in the photo), watch/clock parts are a recent eBay purchase. Rose at the bottom is Grungepaper again stamped with PaperArtsy flowers and die cut, I sprayed more of the Kingfisherlicious onto the flower and added some more Bedazzles using glossy accents.

Think that's about it for now, will try and get some more decent photos tomorrow, will have to ask my colleague if she can work out whats wrong with poorly camera (she is a photographer on her days off). I am entering this into the following challenges:

CraftyCardmakers - Use alcohol inks
Sir Stampalot - Distressed (both me and the frame are distressed lol)
The Artistic Stamper - Sing a Rainbow

***Edited***: Here are a couple of new photos but not sure if they are much better really!

Autumn colours on Incy Wincy

Hi all

Definitely feels like Autumn is around the corner with 2 Autumn themed DT projects on one week!

This week over on Incy Wincy we have another FAB sponsor AI Factory. All the DT were given an image and sentiment to use. The winner will get a prize of a $10 credit to the store.



I have coloured the image in using promarkers and used Antque Linen distess ink. The Bazzill, Promarkers and backing paper are from Creative Craft World

I am entering this into the following challenges:


Marks Finest papers - Fall Colours
Stamping Vacation - Fountain of youth challenge (leaves)

Creative Craft World Autumn theme and DT call (edited)

Hi all

Friday we celebrated Eid with the whole family - 13 children all in one house at the same time!!! Needless to say by the end of the day I was frazzled lol!! Will come and add some photo's (in a separate post) later on along with the other tags in my tag book ;-)

Over on Creative Craft World our new challenge starts today and the theme has been set by the "big boss, Lou", she has picked my favourite season of Autumn!

All the DT were given an image to play with from our sponsor this week Robyn's Fetish and funnily enough we have all gone down the spooky route with this cute "5 pumpkins on a gate digi.




I am going to have to come back later and add the details and the other tags to this post (**Edited to say I have done it now).

All the tags were were coloured using loads of inky fun using TH Distress Inks in faded jeans, peeled pain, fired brick, dried marigold, wild honey, rusty hinge and Adirondack currant. My daughter couldn't resist having a go too. The blue splodges on some of the tags were using the most gorgeous Kingfisherlicious spray by craftynotions available at PaperArtsy.

The Tag letters on the leaf shape tag were cut out from Paper Pizzaz and the Artist stamp is Tim Holtz - well it is mine but is a Tim Holtz stamp haha I am sure you know what I mean! Nature was stamped using a Provocraft stamping "thing" which was part of my candy win from the lovely Cath Wilson as was the bronze tape on the right hand tag. The oak leaf is by Craftime which was part of my DT kit from Creative Craft World




Left tag above: Swallows are by Artemio Tree Silhouettes, tree is Creative Expressions, the leaves were punched from Leaves and Acorns 12 x 12 paper and sprinkled with bronze embossing powder. The little poem is my own as I love Autumn colours!

Right tag above: PaperArtsy Hot Pick 1004 stamped in Adirondack Currant. Flowers are Prima and Basic Grey and the brad is Accent Depot. I liberally poured some enamelling powder in clear and sprinkled bronze embossing powder, heated it up and then added more clear and gold powder, while it was still hot I made an impression with an Artemio Butterfly silhouettes stamp. I wanted to create a puddle with splashes in it as we always loved jumping in leaf filled brightly coloured puddles as kids (still do if the truth be told lol).

As mentioned before the cute and not at all scary pumpkin on a gate image is from Robyn's Fetish which I coloured in with Promarkers. The text, witch, spider and candelabra stamps are by MME stamped in Stazon Jet Black. The journaling is the Five Little Pumpkins sitting on a gate kids rhyme!

Sadly 2 of the DT had to step down so we are having a DT call. All the details are on the blog and trust me it is one of the loveliest DT's you could wish for!

I am entering this into the "punch" challenge over on Gingersnap Creations (who I am proud to say picked me as one of their Ginger Gems last week whoohoo)
Lets ink it up is asking for a vintage theme.
Tuesday Taggers - Books
Lots to Do - Distressed Tags
The Stampman - Distress
Marks Finest Papers - Speedy the cat challenge - Autumn Colours
Stamping Vacation - Leaves

Project Requirements for challenge:

1. Produce a project which shows what autumn means to you, that can be anything from a harvest festival at your children's school, carving a pumpkin, change in leaves or walking through the leaves that have fallen when you can hear that lovely rustle underfoot.

2. Use reds, oranges, yellows, browns & greens.

3. There MUST be journalling on your project.
Challenge Rules:
1. You must post project on your blog with the title 'Lou's Autumn Challenge'
2. Must be a new project.
3. Link back to the CCW challenge within your blog post.4. Link to your post and NOT your general blog please.5. Leave a comment on our challenge post after entering.6. Your entry can be submitted into 5 other challenges. Any entered into more then this will be ineligible.

All entries are to be in by midnight on SUNDAY 26th SEPTEMBER 2010

Eid!!

As I mentioned on my earlier post it was Eid on Friday so needless to say last week I resembled a headless chicken! Imagine the scene of the kids returning to school the same week as it is Christmas Day and you will understand how frantic it was!!!

Anyway, it is all over now, I survived, bank account is well and truly empty and the kids had a fun filled day with loads of pressies so that makes me a happy Mum! My husband bought me some storage for my soon to be new craft room (yay) and some spending money for the Happy Stampers show in October, whoohoo!!

Safiyyah in her Salwar Kameez with her bling and mendhi (henna) on.

Yaseen busily opening his presents




Riaz with his "I'm a teenager and I don't do early morning" face on!! Zaid avoided the camera altogether by staying in bed!!!

Sweet Pea Stampers sketch

Hi all

The challenge over on Sweet Pea Stampers is an amazing sketch by "the boss" Pascale.

I have used an Elaine Cox image Sweet Pea rubber stamp and coloured her in using Promarkers. The papers are by Paper Cellar and are the Wedding collection - although I probably would never use them for a wedding card lol. Flowers are from my stash (think they were from Hobbycraft).

Challenges will from now on be set on a Friday and will run for a fortnight (yes I know it is Sunday today but I am late posting this as it was Eid on Friday)!

This week we are being sponsored by the lovely Amy over at The Crafty Purple Frog and the winner will get 3 Digital Decoupage Sheets.

Play Date Cafe - Just about made it before last orders!!

Hi all

Again I am running super late and coming in a bit before closing time at The Play Date Cafe!

This week is another gorgeous inspiration photo, I nearly didn't make this but my ink pads were screaming at me and to be honest it was a little boost I needed. Since I've not been crafting what little mojo I have has up and left me lol!



I used a Manila tag hence the reason why it looks darker in the photo, well that combined with the rubbish evening lighting in my house (the decoupaged poppy is actually burnt orange but the camera makes it look yellow - and they say the camera never lies (well this one does).


Firstly I stamped the Hero Arts poppy silhouette in versamark and the heat embossed using Ranger clear embossing powder. Distress inks in Dried Marigold, Rusty Hinge, Wild Honey and Fired Brick and Adirondack in Currant were used to sponge on the colour.

Unfortunately I can't keep my eyes open so will have to add details tomorrow when I might bee able to string a sentence together!

Celebrations at Incy Wincy

Hi all

Finally I have been able to craft again, life has really been throwing me some tough times recently but hopefully we are getting to the end of our bad luck (fingers crossed). My mother in law is recovering well from her heart operation and Zaid is now out of plaster but has to undergo physio on his wrist as he hasn't got 100% movement in it yet, but he should be fine to go back to school on Tuesday! The younger two are back at school on Wednesday and Riaz starts his work experience in a pharmacy tomorrow, he is doing 1 week in a community pharmacy and then 1 week in a hospital pharmacy, can't believe this time next ear he will have left school, yikes how old do I feel!!??!!

Anyway, this week over on Incy Wincy is a "CELEBRATIONS" challenge. This week we have an amazing prize from Simon Says Stamp who is our sponsor, the lucky winner will receive:




I have used this amazing digi by Mary Helen Sim which is available over on the children's charity Aspire to Thrive website.



The image is coloured in using Promarkers, flowers are Prima which are both available over on Creative Craft World, lace is from my stash and the papers are Papermania.

I have followed the sketch over on Sketch Saturday so I am entering into this weeks challenge.