Try it on Tuesday " Black, Red and Cream "

Over at Try it on Tuesday the weekly challenge is to make a tag using the colours black, red and cream, well what a coincidence ! I was just in the middle of making a tag with cream and red when I came across it. Must have been fate it's the first time that's happened to me. Although they didn't specify the size mine is a little on the large size a bit like  " The attack of the Giant Tags " .

I used one of my favourite Crafty Individual thistle stamps which I stamped with Real Red SU ink, I cut out the three tags of varying sizes ( about six went in the bin ) and then passed them through my texture boutique to give a little texture.

Hope you like it.

Marie

Get Creative Sketch for Card and Layout Challenge.

The tenth of the month sees a new challenge over at Get Creative and I'm making my second appearance as design team member. The challenge is to create a card or layout based on the above sketch , which has been set for us by the very talented Chryssa.

Now this was the first time I have ever made a card based on a sketch and must admit it was a bit of a challenge really had to get my thinking cap on for this one. They don't call them challenges for nothing and I found the creative process very interesting and enjoyed it ( as soon as I had finished that is )

I used my Silhouette to die cut all of the shapes and stamped onto the hearts using two of my favourite Crafty individual stamps the top one I embossed using SU white embossing powder and basic black ink on the second one again by SU. The sentiment is from SU which I again embossed in white.

The second card is based on the same sketch but did not in fact enter this one I just wanted to see if I could come up with a couple of variations based on the sketch.
Why not pop over to Get Creative to see what the other talented design team members have come up with .

Hope you like them.

Marie

Black and white and circles.

Have to say couldn't think of a better title for this post it's a bit naff I know but I wanted to take part in two challenges and at this late  hour couldn't come up with something better. !



Yesterday was national no housework day ! and to celebrate it there has been a blog hop organised. These are a few of my favourite things who is taking part has an online challenge just for this weekend with a mystery prize. They are asking us to create a card or a layout using our favourite colours. Well mine is neither a card or a layout but I'm entering anyway. My favourite colours are black and white so I made these paper flowers which I have to say were a bit tricky. I know there of thousands of you out there that can drum them up in a jiffy! unfortunately I am not one of them and it took me ages. I stamped the white flowers with some circle and flower stamps that I have from a children's stamping set and used my Silhouette to cut out the circles. I used kebab sticks which I wrapped around silk ribbon to make the stems.

Once again the photo lets me down so please excuse the background as I took the picture in my shop and crop as I like  I just couldn't cut out the things I didn't want.

I also want to enter this into the Just for fun challenge which is being hosted this month by the lovely Von their theme is circles and I'm hoping that this fits into their challenge. These girls are the greatest  it's the one challenge that I am trying to be faithful to they are such nice ladies ( and a bit mad ) and have been very very supportive of me.

Anyways hope you like my little flower creation .

Have a great weekend and with as little housework as possible.

Marie

Gingersnap Creations Geisha !

For the past four months which is the length of time that I have been crafting I have been following Gingersnap Creations challenges. I love their site and am constantly amazed at the standard of art that is posted to it. All of their challenges are unique and very interesting and I have been tempted on several occasions to have ago but to be honest I'm just a little intimidated. Today I decided that I would throw caution to the wind in the hope that it wouldn't  come back and smack me in the face ! I'm sure those lovely ladies don't bite and if they do they will just have to catch me first !

My Geisha is a lovely stamp by Crafty Individuals underneath I have once again printed onto acetate one of my lovely Japanese designs which is then placed over some gorgeous handmade paper. Unfortunately the photo doesn't do it justice , I must find me a better photographer or at least try to take the pictures in the daytime !

Hope you enjoy it and please be gentle with me.

Marie

Get Creative " Spring "

Today is my first official appearance as Design Team member for Get Creative and boy am I excited and I must admit a little nervous. In fact it's my first design team spot so am really looking forward to it also happens to be get Creatives first ever card challenge !

The theme is to make a card about spring or utilising spring colours an easy topic so go on over and check it out and see what the other talented design team members have created. The challenge is running until the end of the month so plenty of time to get your entries in ! There are also prizes to be won which will be announced later so watch this space !

Don't forget to check out guest designer for this month Karen Wray who has created a fantastic Easter Egg house, simply stunning !

Spring here in Greece always reminds me of little lambs frolicking around in the meadows, care free days and picnics, so this is my take on the theme. I used Stampin Up white embossing powder for the flowers which I then used a variety of Ranger and Stampin Up inks to create a distress emboss effect. Little lambs courtesy of my Silhouette as is the sentiment. Spring stamp SU and the little birdies are courtesy of Crafty Individuals.

Hope you enjoy.

Marie

Crafty Individuals Challenge "Simply Square"

I was very pleased to see that one of my favorite stamp makers Crafty Individuals has started a blog and not only that they have started their first ever blog challenge. I was so excited as theirs where the first stamps I bought together with their lovely mini books and backing papers. The theme for their first challenge is simply square this put me in a real tizzy because if you check out their wonderful guest designers they all make such amazing pieces of art with so much detail ,  and I have to say I am a little intimidated by them. I have been following their blogs for the past few months and am well and truly in awe . I just couldn't decide which stamp to use . Of course of all the stamps I have from them, there isn't one square one ! and I didn't want to cut down any of the images, so what stamp did I use .........well none of them !

In fact what I did was to use background paper from one of the books ( don't know which one have lost the cover ) I printed a leaf design onto acetate just love the old acetate and placed it over the background. The little bird is from one of the CI spring mini books which again received the old acetate treatment on top, they were then matted onto card. I know it was really easy and will not compere to all the other beautifully stamped creations that everyone else has submitted but in the flesh it's really rather pretty .

I look forward to taking part in their forthcoming challenges and to being inspired with their wonderful products.

Hope you like it.

Marie

1001 Butterflies !

The April challenge over at Get Creative is up and running and our wonderful leader Irini has set  a challenge to make something for Easter, whether it be an Easter card or basket for your child's teacher, painted eggs or garlands whatever reminds you of Easter. My debut as a Design Team member for Get Creative will take place in a few days ( can't wait ) .

Have to say was a bit tricky, I wanted to do something with butterflies Easter always reminds me of them as it's the time of year in Greece which I love the most lots of picnics and lots and lots of butterflies ! Couldn't decide whether I wanted to go with less is more or more is too much ! but in the end as you can see I went with the latter . I decided that after spending several hours of creating these lovely creatures it seemed such a shame not to let them have their moment ! The images are courtesy of Hero Arts which once again I have printed onto acetate and paper ( see a bit of an acetate fetish forming ) Most of the acetate butterflies I have passed through my texture boutique but being the expert camera woman I am was a waste of time as you can't see a thing ! The flowers I made with the help of my lovely Silhouette machine where would I be without it !

I want to enter this for the challenge at Just for Fun the lovely Zoe has given us free reign this week and as usual I'm having a moan , I complain every week about the themes she sets this week too much choice ! Secretly I'm enjoying her challenges because that's exactly what they are ! So thanks Zoe .

Hope you like my little extravaganza

Have a wonderful weekend

Marie x