Fab'n'Funky Challenges #140 - Starts with F

Hi Crafty People,

Hope this post finds you well and crafted!  We had a phenomenal response to our Things with Wings challenge last week at Fab'n'Funky Challenges.  Check out the blog to see if you were one of our lucky winners.  Amazing entries.

Now, onto the challenge in hand and it's Emma's turn to host this week.  She has chosen one of my favourite challenges ever...

Starts with F

There are so many possibilities - friends, fashion, fairies, flowers, flutes or even finger food!  We also have two fantastic sponsors - Di's Digi Downloads and StampArt Design by Kathryne.  Click on their names to check out their wonderful designs.

So, my F was French-inspired and flowers and I used my new Eiffel Tower die from Marianne Craftables.

As you can see I also used my favourite crafty item - Spellbinders!  However, to start I opened up Fab Glam Fifites on My Craft Studio and found this rose embellishment.  I resized the image and then tiled it to make a backing paper, placing a gold/cream background behind to match.  I used the colour picker to make the matching blue base background.  I cut these layers with Spellbinders Grand Rectangles. 

The corners came from Spellbinders Venetian Motifs and I used Create and Craft glitter card which I wasn't sure would work through the dies but the results were really good.  The centre layer is from Spellbinders Labels Twenty-Eight and I also ran this through the Venetian M-Bossabilities folder for extra texture.  I used Spellbinders Fancy Framed Tags One for the sentiment and that was stamped with JustRite stamps - Bon Voyage. 

I hope I've inspired you to get creative and show us your makes that start with F.  Have fun!

Happy crafting,

Rachel

Fab'n'Funky Challenges #139 - Things with Wings

Hi All,

I hope you've had a great week.  I've had a good week so far but boy is it flying!  I'm going to a wedding on Saturday and really hope the weather improves.  It is still raining like it is going out of fashion!

We have a fab new challenge for you over at Fab'n'Funky Challenges and our wonderful host Wendy has picked a fantastic theme...

Things with Wings

You can use butterflies, dragons, bees, angels or anything else with a set of wings!  We have the fab Doodle Pantry as our sponsor this week and the DT was lucky enough to have some digi images to use. 

This is my owl inspired card.

I started by printing four copies of my image and then cut different parts from each one to decoupage.  I layered up with foam pads.  The base shapes are from the Spellbinders Grand Labels Eleven.  The shimmery white paper is from Debbi Moore.  I used a circle punch to make an aperature for the moon and then added My Craft Studio glitter with my Quickie Glue Pen.  I also added a few rays from the moon around my little owl. 

I attached the layers with double sided sticky tape as the owl has a lot of dimension.  I used a large corner punch to round the corners of my card blank. 

So get those wings a flapping!  Can't wait to see what you all make this week.

Happy crafting,
Rachel x

Fab'n'Funky Challenge #138 - Harvest Festival

Hi Everyone,

I hope you are all enjoying a great week and that the weather is still holding out for you.  It has been sunny and chucking it down in equal measures here this week. 

So, on to our next challenge at Fab'n'Funky Challenges and it's a seasonal one that has been chosen by our host for this week, Vicky.  Check out her amazing blog.  Our theme this week is...

Harvest Festival

We also have the brilliant Digi Doodle Shop as our sponsor and the challenge winner will receive a $10 voucher to spend in their online shop.

Now then, brace yourselves!  I've tried my hand at polymer clay this week.  I saw a demo in an old edition of Cardmaking and Papercraft and knew that this lovely image would be perfect with it.

I started by rolling lots of long thin strips of the brown polymer clay and then twisting them together to make the basket pieces.  I laid them over the magazine template, placing a piece of rolled up tin foil underneath to make the basket slightly raised.  Once the basket was baked in the oven, I made the strawberries and then popped them into the oven.  I used Pinflair glue gel to attach the strawberries and basket.

The lovely image of the Strawberry Fairy from Digi Doodle Shop was coloured with ProMarkers in Vanilla, Gold, Blush, Almond, Pear Green, Lipstick Red and Ruby.  The full image has lovely leafy strawberries but it was just too much with the basket so I cut her out with scissors.  To glitter her wings I had another copy of the image already printed and I cut out the wings with a craft knife and then sprayed Crafter's Companion Irredecsent glitter through the aperature.  I was a bit heavy-handed though!  I attached the image with foam pads after shaping.

The green layer under the basket is from Spellbinders Grand Decorative Circles One.  It is the perfect fit for a 6" card blank.  The papers came free with my Quick Cards Made Easy mag a few months ago.  I did add a sentiment but thought it was too much so removed it again but you never know, it might make it back on again!

I hope you have fun with your harvest projects this week.  Looking forward to checking them all out. 

Happy crafting,
Rachel x

Fab'n'Funky Challenge #137 - Colours of Autumn

Hi Everyone,

Hope this post finds you all well.  I learned a valuable crafty lesson on Sunday night - paper is dangerous!  I bent down to pick up a piece of mirri-paper and snap went my back!  I couldn't straighten up and had to get help from my Mam!  Be careful out there!

Anyway, we have a brilliant new challenge over at Fab'n'Funky and our host this week is the great Pat.  Her chosen theme is very apt for this time of year...

The Colours of Autumn

We also have a fantastic sponsor - My Creative Classroom, who are giving our lucky winner the chance to take part in a hair colouring masterclass.  How amazing is that?!

So, onto my card and I've gone quite simple this week but I kinda liked how it turned out.

I think my photo skills are getting worse though!  This shows the gold mirri-card off and then I layered with brown pearlescent cardstock.  The red spider's web mesh is from Kanban and I have 5 rolls of this in different colours so you might be seeing quite a bit of it for a while!

My stamped image is also Kanban, from their Steampunk stamp set.  I used a Hobbycraft gold inkpad and it really suits these stamps.  I used Spellbinders Grand Ovals to but my image and then distressed with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Fired Brick to highlight the embossing.  Here is the close-up...

This shows the colour of the die cut paper which is a lot more orange-y in real life.  Hope you have fun with your colours of autumn.

Happy crafting,
Rachel x

Fab'n'Funky Challenges #136 - Birthday Sketch

Hi Crafters,

Here we are again - on Wednesday already!  We have another new challenge for you over on the Fab'n'Funky Challenges blog.  We had loads of lovely leafy wonders last week and Pat K has chosen her Top 3 so head over to the blog to see the lucky winners.

We have lovely Shirley as our host this week and she has chosen to do a fab sketch to celebrate her daughter's birthday and here it is...

A great sketch and so many different possibilities.  There are two sponsors for our challenge this week - StampArt Design by Kathryne and Joanna Sheen.  So two sponsors means two winners!  Double the fun!  Be sure to check out their websites for great crafty goodies.

When I saw Shirley's great sketch, this image just popped into my head and I knew I wanted to use it.  I hope Shirley doesn't mind that I twisted her sketch to fit my image *crosses fingers*!

And here is my card...

Isn't she lovely? Isn't she wonderful?! Just as well you can't hear me singing!  This Saturated Canary image is called Springtime and is a favourite of mine.  I've loved the cards that I've seen using this digi and hope my effort is up to standard.  I coloured her using ProMarkers and FlexMarkers in Blush, Dusky Pink, Cinnamon, Henna, Caramel, Watermelon, Cocktail Pink, Sunflower, Soft Green, Tea Green, Apple and Leaf Green.  I cut out my image and matting layer using Spellbinders Grand Ovals. 

My papers are from Heidi Swapp and are just scrumptious!  I was really loathe to cut them up but isn't that just a good excuse to buy more!  To make my card blank I cut a piece of 350gsm card to 8" square and then covered with the flowery paper.  I measured up the two triangles and then left a centimetre extra on the edge to attach to the back of the base card.  The coloured card is strong enough to stand up as it is such good quality.  The flowers were made using Spellbinders Bitty Blossoms from the flowery paper and here is a close-up.

I started by twirling the end around my pokey tool and just kept rolling using my fingers, making sure that the base was kept straight.  I glued with Cosmic Shimmer Dries Clear Glue.  My little butterflies were from a Tonic punch.  I also glued these on with the CSDCG.

Do you fancy a peek at the inside now?  Well here you go!

I typed up my sentiment on the computer using My Craft Studio and then printed it onto Super Smooth decoupage paper.  I used the same Spellbinders Grand Oval to cut it out and then attached with double sided sticky tape so that the card can still close.

Hope you have fun with this great sketch and can't wait to see all the different variations.  If you are looking for inspiration, my teamies have done wonderful examples so check them out.

Happy crafting,
Rachel x

Dragonfly Fun

Hi All,

I've been crafting again!  This time I've used Spellbinders, Debbi Moore and Kanban to make a dragonfly card.  I started by brayering the card blank with my Big and Juicy Soothing Sunset inkpad.  I played it a little too safe and removed too much of the ink from my brayer so it's extremely subtle.  The white mesh is from Kanban and it is so fabulous!
 

I cut two of the largest shapes from the Spellbinders Splendid Circles and then cut them into quarters.  I trimmed the outer edge from the pink layer and mounted with foam pads. 

The dragonfly stamp from Debbi Moore was inked up the the Big and Juicy Soothing Sunset and then cut with the Spellbinders Splendid Circles.  I mounted this onto a circle cut my X-Cut dies.

Unbelievably, this photo was taken at the same time as the top one!  My camera has a mind of it's own sometimes!

Hope you've all had a splendid weekend.

Happy crafting,

Rachel x

Fab'n'Funky Challenges #135 - Use Leaves Somewhere

Hi Everyone,

I can't believe how fast that last week has gone!  And we are around to the next challenge on Fab'n'Funky Challenges already.  It's a good one too!  If you haven't checked out the winners of the last challenge head over to the Challenge blog.

We have the extremely talented Pat K as our host this week and she has chosen a fab challenge...

Use Leaves Somewhere

You can use any kind of leaves you like in any way but just make sure they appear on your project.  We have a great sponsor too - Bugaboo.  The DT were so lucky to have some gorgeous digi stamps to use.  It was so hard to choose though!

I made this card using BBrat girl flower sitter as she was super cute.  I chose an autumnal colour pallete and was pleased with how she turned out.  Unfortunately I put the list of ProMarkers that I used out with the rubbish.  D'oh!  The ones I can remember are Forest Green, Gold, Lipstick Red, Ruby, Blush, Dusky Pink, Bright Orange, Cinnamon and Henna.  My little image is sitting on a Spellbinders Floral Ovals die-cut.

I made the background paper using elements from the My Craft Studio Artiste Collection CD-ROM.  The ribbon came from some packaging.  I mounted onto gold mirri-card and then onto a white card blank.  I used a corner punch to round the edges.

I can't wait to see what leafy wonders you all come up with for this challenge.  Be sure to check out the other DT creations.

Happy crafting,
Rachel x

Love is like a butterfly...

Hello Crafters,

I have a Spellbinders card for you tonight.  I luuuurve Spellbinders!  It's the Pick of the Day on Create and Craft and Ideal World tonight/tomorrow but would you believe it I have them all!  Well, nearly all of them!

For this card, I started with some purple pearlescent card and embossed it with the Ornamental Iron M-Bossability folder.  I managed to extend the pattern by placing the folder over the edge of the plates on the second embossing run.

I used a Debbi Moore stamp and then cut it out with Spellbinders Beaded Squares.  I inked through the die with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Dusty Concord.  This is the first time I've used my proper blending tool and it was a doddle!

I cut two squares, one black and one silver mirri-paper with my flimsy knock-off dies - that'll teach me!  The ribbon is also from Creative Expressions.  The butterfly is another Spellbinder and came from the Wings of Hope set.
 

I really do love using Spellbinders and can't wait to see what will make it onto my next card.  Hope you are all enjoying crafty days.

Happy crafting,
Rachel x

Fab'n'Funky Challenges #134 - Angels and Fairies

Hi All,

Well, we've had a day of all seasons here today.  At the moment it's summer but this morning was definitely winter.  Long may summer continue!

It's time for a brand new challenge at Fab'n'Funky Challenges.  Our host this week is Judit and she has chosen a lovely theme...

Angels and Fairies

So dig out those winged beauties and get crafting!  Our sponsor is Digi Darla Designs and one lucky winner will receive 5 digis from their store.  Check out the wonderful designs here.

Now on to my card.  The DT had lovely images to play with and I chose Annie Angel 4 which is a very cute angel digi. 

My papers are from Basic Grey and I love the bright colours of this pack.  I used my X-Cut star dies to cut the shapes from the pink paper and then layered using foam tape over the orange paper.

I coloured my lovely image using ProMarkers in the following colours:

Almond
Blush
Vanilla
Bright Orange
Rose Pink
Cerise
Pear Green

Then I cut her out using my Spellbinders Romantic Rectangles.  The ribbon was recycled from some packaging and I love how it pops.  My sentiment came free with a magazine and is from the Polka Doodles range.

Be sure to check out the other DT inspiration.  They are truly angelic!  Looking forward to seeing your creations. 

Happy crafting,
Rachel x

Fab'n'Funky Challenge #132 - Anything But A Card

Hi All,

I think these weeks are flying by even faster than normal just now.  Have you checked out the winner of our last challenge yet?  If not, head over to the Fab'n'Funky Challenges blog.  We also have badges for the winner and Top 3 so make sure you pick one up if it's you. 

And without further ado, we have another new challenge for you at Fab'n'Funky.  I'm your host for this week and I've chosen the following theme...

Anything But A Card

You can make any project you like but just make sure there are NO cards.  We also have a really exciting new sponsor - Flonzcraft, who are stamp manufacturers from New Zealand. 

They have an amazing offer for everyone who enters our challenge this week.  Be sure to click on our challenge blog to find out more.  The challenge winner, picked at random, will also receive a $20 voucher to spend and their order will qualify for FREE shipping!  Wooo!

I made a scrapbook layout using Vintage Girl Fashion - Fifties 03 and I absolutely love this stamp.  We were such a lucky DT to receive some stamps to play with ourselves.  This one had to jump into my basket as soon as I saw it.

My papers are from the Indigo Bleu range by Pink Paislee and I bought them from Create and Craft when they had their International Craft Event.  I have been putting off using them because they are so beautiful and every one is different.  

I used Spellbinders Labels One Scalloped to frame my stamp and Labels Four for my journalling.  I've not cracked the journalling yet but I'm trying to improve.  I don't know when the photo was taken but it shows my Granny and Grandad on the right and my Granny's sister and brother-in-law on the left.  I'll have to ask my Granny if she remembers getting this picture taken.

I cut several different sized strips and then ran the light grey strip through a paper crimper for texture.  The bunting was made using an American Crafts mask.  I drew around the shape and then cut it out by hand.  The "Sisters" lettering was cut using my Cricut Expression 2 and the Paper Lace 2 cartridge. 

And here is a close up of that gorgeous stamp.

I left it uncoloured as I thought it looked more like the old images of the Fifites.  I have a great idea for my next project using it though!

Have fun creating your projects and I can't wait to visit you all and see what you've done.

Do make sure you check out the other DT members' blogs.  Their projects are amazing, as always, and I want to thank them all for sharing their creativity and being such a lovely team.

Happy crafting,

Rachel x