A NEW CHALLENGE BLOG

...When i say a new challenge blog....it's more of a 'friendly' little place....*well that's what i'm hoping:)*
...This challenge blog is slightly different though...you can read about it HERE
Please do pop over and have a looksie...as iam looking for some dt girlies to join me on this adventure :)
*Ya can't all leave me on my own now can ya???*........but then again ya could!!!!....but ...nah ;) ya wouldn't do that to me would ya???...lol
Please help me spread the word about the blog :)
Shaz xx
*Please scroll down for newer posts as this will stay at the top for a while :)*

OUR CREATIVE CORNER

It's time for another OUR CREATIVE CORNER sketch challenge :)

As soon as i saw this sketch i immediately thought of a photo frame :)

So here's what i cam up with !

I painted the frame with acrylic paint and then embellished the frame.

The acetate embellies look really lovely ITF but it's hard to get a decent photo of acetate.

The photo is obviously my likkle Chloe monster.This was taken a couple of weeks ago on her 3rd Birthday!!

*3 already...it has gone soooo quickly*

The poor little thing took ill on boxing day...in the end she ended up with chickenpox. She has been quite sick with them too, yet none of my lads were ever 'ill' with them,but Chloe was :(

A few days before Christmas we took the kids to butlins for a short break and while we were there Chloe had her face painted...she loved it.So just after Christmas i bought her some face paints,but i was unable to use them on her cos of the chicken pox...i did however promise that i would paint her face on her birthday.

There was no big birthday party for her,as she was sick,so insyead we just had a little family tea party...complete with peppa pig cake...lol

This was my 1st attempt at face painting...lol I had to try and avoid the spots on her face too...lol

Chloe is nearly back to her old self now and most of the spots have gone now,its just the ones on her head and back that are still there.

Please POP over to OCC and check out all the 'absolutely drop dead gorgeous' creations that have been made by the other girls :)

TFL

Shaz xx

ANOTHER FREEBIE TO SHARE

I have another freebie for you today :)
I created this as a freebie last year...some of you may remember and have it :)
Seen as how Valentine's is just around the corner i thought i would give it out once again!

As well as the items shown,it also contains 4 pillow boxes too:)

You can download it HERE

Shaz xx

FAB N FUNKY

Well today brings with it another great challenge over at FAB N FUNKY
And we are very lucky to be sponsered this week by TRACEY AT THE STAMPING BOUTIQUE
The lucky winner of the challenge this week will win 5 images of their choice!!! How good is that :)
The dt were lucky enough to be given some images by Tracey to work with :) Thanks Tracey x
I chose to work with this baby here...hehe ...I wonder why...lol

This is 'Audrey The Chef'

I Love LOVE LOVE anything 'cupcakey' or cupcakey related...so when i saw this image i just HAD to use it :)
...I did have 'other' plans' on what i was going to make...but in the end i had to quickly put this together in less then half an hour last night!!
...and yes i used copics...lol 'Only cos i had to be quick...lol
Please POP OVER TO FNF CHALLENGE and take a lookisie at what FAB creations the other girlies have made :)...even better...you could join in,and try and win yourself the prize:)
Supplies used:
Digi Image - The stamping Boutique
Papers- Basic grey / nook & pantry
Cupcake image - Hero Arts (I just got these yesterday...LOOOVE THEM..i'l tell ya more about them later...lol
Sentiment - FREEBIE FROM...ME...which you can get HERE
CB- Craftwork cards
Liquid pearls
TFL
Shaz xx

To Copic or not to copic???....which medium to use?

For anyone who is interested, i thought i would do a post about different colouring mediums.
At the moment wherever i look it seems to be copics everywhere! (BTW all you copic lovers..lol..this post isn't to diss copics,as i happen to love them too:)
.....However *Lol* when i was running ff i had plenty of cash to be able to buy whatever craft products that i wanted.If i saw something that i wanted...i simply bought it...the cost didn't matter.
I did buy myself a load of copics...which aren't exactly cheap *If my OH knew how much those things cost he would have a fit..lol* As much as i love my copics...there is always a down side :( and the downside to copics is the cost.I'm now no longer in a position to buy whatever craft products that i want...so iam trying out things from my stash...haha  Staring with different colouring mediums.A couple of years ago i was quite happy using my marvy le plume pens,i used to scribble the colour onto an acrylic block then use a water brush to pick up the colour.I then switched to water colour pencils.I have tried since to go back to watercolour pencils,but for me the colours just aren't bright enough..if ya know what i mean...not since using copics anyways...lol
The 3 images above are all coloured with different mediums *The cute image is two tash from mo's digital pencil btw*

Iam NO expert at colouring, this is just to show the results that you get with the different mediums.
The image above is coloured with copics. Buying yourself copics won't suddenly make you fantastic at colouring images...as with everything it takes practice. Amazing copic colouring can be seen here by Maddy Hill  The problem i have with copics is that they don't last all that long, i definately don't have the cash to buy refils for every colour that i have,which means that as each colour runs out i have to replace the pen:( The only refil that i have is the blender (as my first blender pen ran out within the first 2 weeks of having it)
The copics have a brush nib and i sometimes find it very hard to get into tiny areas with them.
So if you have the cash for copics...plus refils or replacements then go with them...if you don't have the cash then look for other alternatives.
I used to have pro markers...which are great too...they last longer than copics and they have a hard small nib *better for getting into smaller areas*

This image above is coloured with prisma pencils.I've had these for a while now,and haven't really tried them enough to do them justice...until now.
I love these things :) You can use the pencils on their own, or you can use a blender oil such as sansador or zest it...*I use zest it as it has a citrus smell* you use paper stumps to blend the oil over your coloured image.
I love the result that you get using these pencils...so they are most definately worth considering.
The colours are lovely and bright.The pencils are very soft..so you just start off very lightly..then pressing harder where you want the darker areas. I have used only 1 pink shade on the above image *as i only have 1 pink...lol* but by varying the amount of pressure i applied i managed to achieve light and dark shades with the one colour.
You can buy yourself a set of these for about £20 or maybe less..then they will last you a looooong time as they are pencils,plus its easy to get into smaller areas.I think that these are gonna be my main medium that i will be using from now on.

This is a tin of prismacolor pencils and a bottle of zest it.

The image above was coloured using peerless watercolors.

This is how the peerless watercolors come. Its a book with pull out sheets of colour. You can use these 2 ways (that i know of) you can either cut a pice of your chosen colour off the page and then place it in a dish ect and add a drop of water to dilute the colour off of the paper..or the other way *which is the way that i do it* is to just take the colour directly off the page.
The colours are very bright...wich i love.When painting the image above i couldnt really experiment with using more water to obtain lighter shades as the paper i was using doesnt like water...lol  so i just had to do the best that i could.
Again i love these as you can achieve lovely bright colours.They aren't expensive either. I only have the one book which is the complete edition book witch contains 15 sheets of different colours.You can also buy different books and shades to this.....So there you have my rundown on these 3 different colouring mediums.
..I have always likes the result acheived with the distress inks...however to buy all the colour range right now is way out of what i can afford so instead i have purchased the all the colours from the range of inkidinks *1/3 of the cost of distress inks* am still waiting for them to arrive though...so i shall update this post with the results of those when ive given them a try :)
I hope some of you found this post useful.
TFL
Shaz xx

ALLSORTS CHALLENGE

Here's my entry for this weeks allsorts challenge

I got a few more images from mo's digital pencil so i had to use this little cutie for this challenge,as the challenge is  hearts & flowers.

After colouring and 3d'ing a little, i was looking for papers ect to 'go with' and then i decided that because the image itself coloured in red was so striking,i felt that it didnt need any papers.
Supplies used:
Image - mo's digital pencil
sentiment stamp - hero arts
clouring - prisma pencils
flowers from stash
TFL
Shaz xx

FREE CUPCAKE SENTIMENTS

I thought i would give you some little cupcake sentiments to go with the cupcake images :)
There are 5 different sentiments. I have included all 5 files individually so as you can re-size to suit your own needs, and i have also included all the sentiments onto 1 a4 sheet.

You can download the files from HERE

Shaz xx

Beat the winter 'Blahs' challenge

Last nigt i stumbled upon Virginia's blog here  (stumbled upon it from hero arts.
Virginia is hosting a challenge. You have to make something to cheer up someone special in the winter,and your project must have 'WOW' factor.
I decided to create something for this challenge.

I altered a small gift box by 1st painting it with acrylic paint,then decorated it with ribbon,embellishments and liquid pearls.The box is filled with lots of little 'pretties'
Not quite sure that it has the 'WOW' factor though..lol
I've made this for a special crafty friend ,so hopefully it will cheer her up :)
TFL
Shaz xx

CHARISMA CARDZ CHALLENGE

I decided to enter this weeks challenge over at CHARISMA CARDZ  I couldn't resist as the challenge is 'Fruity colours' Which straight away screamed at me 'Berry sweet' LOL I soooo love this collection and use it loads.

This card was very quick and simple to make:)
Supplie used :) Papers and embellies - K & co/berry sweet
liquid pearls
TFL
Shaz xx

ALLSORTS CHALLENGE

I decided to join in with this weeks challenge over on the allsorts challenge blog  The challenge is Pink & Brown
...Today i came accross an absolutely gorgeous image on somebody's blog (Although can't remember whos's) i was trying to do a bit of blog hopping and commenting..i do say 'trying' as for the past 2 days ive had loads of probs with blogger...its taking forever to open the pages..and on some blogs whenever ive tried to comment it seems to freeze :( Anyone else having these probs??
...The image was from Mo's digital pencil

She is called Two Jill....how absolutely adorable is she? She is the double of my little Chloe monster, she does this pose so many times a day...lol I also bought another fabulous image called Two Tasha (which again is the double of the Chloe monster)

I used Two Gill on my card

Just so you can see the added bling to her little dress:)

Supplie used:
Papers : basic grey/bittersweet
cs : Papermill
Image : Mo's gigital pencil
sentiment embellie : K & co
ribbon from stash
liquid pearls
sakura glitter pen
flower from stash
image coloured with copics
TFL
Shaz xx

2 FREE LIKKLE CUPCAKE DIGI IMAGES

Thought i would share a couple of likkle digi cupcake images that i drew :)

Who doesn't love cupcakes....lol

Hope they will be of use to some of you :)

You can download them from HERE

Shaz xx

Our creative corner challenge

It's time for this weeks sketch challenge over at Our creative corner again
This is the sketch for this weeks challenge.

This was the 1st card that i made from the sketch.

using papers from basic grey,hero arts sentiment stamp,prima flowers. Cricut die cut,lace from stash and gems from prima.

.....However i decided to go make another one...lol
This card was very ,very simple to make...but yet i really like it :) You may just be able to make it out...i stamped a blue flower to the top half of the pink cs.
image stamp -sugar nellie
buttons - rusty pickle
border cut with martha stewart punch
ribbon from stash.
image coloured with copics
sentiment stamp - elzybells

Why not pop over to OCC and have a looksie at the gorgeous creations that the other girls have made !
.....You could even join in if ya like ;) hehe!...the more the merrier ,as they say!
TFL
Shaz xx

Whiff Of Joy Guest Dt Call

The lovely Katharina from Whiff of Joy is having a guest dt call!

Katharina will be holding a guest dt call every 2 months on the 16th.

I love the whiff of joy stamps *and have quite a few...lol* so i thought i would have a go and join in :)

This wasn't the original image that i started out to use.I originally was using one of the cute girl images...i even masked all the grass and flowers (and i very rarely do masking) I even sat and got it all coloured in,but then when i sat down to make a card...this cute little image was screaming out to me "Use me...use me" lol ...so how could i resist...haha I really love this image...so the other image just got pushed to one side.

The card is very 3 dimensional *thats what i have tried to show in the pics*

TFL
Shaz xx

FAB N FUNKY CHALLENGE

It's time for this weeks Fab n funky challenge
which is BLUE , WHITE & GREEN

..My card may be very basic...but ooh what a performance i have had...lol
For the last few months i haven't been using me so called'craft room' (which by the way is at the bottom of the garden) I'd fetched quite a few things into the kitchen,so have been crafting in there.It's been great having stuff in there so as i could nip in there through the day while Chloe was watching a dvd or playing ect..but as we only have a very small kitchen ,it just wasnt practical...plus it meant that i only had certain things to hand to create with.
...So about a week ago i decided enough was enough and that i had to get the 'craft room' in order.
Since it was first built,underneath the far end worktop it has always been full of stuff,jam packed in there from floor to worktop,full of dvd's ,cd's, xbox...scanners..you name it. Qhich meant i couldnt sit at that area,or use the underneath for crafty storage :( So i decided that it had to go.I managed to clear the whole area under the worktop :) Most has been thrown...the other few bits have been put into the conservatory (for now) lol...well why should my craft room be used as a dumping ground for everyone else?? Its been like that since the start and id just had enough :)
It's taken me a week to get it sorted,as ive only been able to do it bits at a time cos of Chloe.
Last night i managed to get it finished enough so i could move everything outa the kitchen into there.So last night i moved the stuff in...i have everything organised...storage for almost everything:) So i couldnt wait for tonight to come round so as i could actually go in there and play!! (Thats the downside of using the craft room again,is that i can only go in there on an evening when Chloe is asleep, I have a video moniter set up in there so as i can see & hear her,although the interference i get on it drives me crackers)
....So tonight...OH was off to watch football...Chloe was asleep my 8pm...so off i trotted down the garden:) I needed to get my fab n funky challenge card done...so i decided i need to stamp something...wheres me acrylic block???...i couldnt belive it...now things are organised i cant find it anywhere!! after spending an hour looking, i thought to myself, right just forget it for now...and get something done...your wasting precious crafting time...lol I dont know about you girls...but whenever this happens to me i just cant carry on creating,cos as much as i try all i can think of is finding that thing that i have lost..its as though i NEED to have that thing for this card/project that i want to make...lol A lot of the time i dont even stamp anything when i create something, but tonight i just couldnt rest...i needed to have it.After 2 hours of searching..i couldn't find it :(
So i ended up coming up with this simple quick card below.
...I did in the end find a very old acrylic block that was covered in sticky tape...stazon..you name it, so after creating the quick card, i fetched the block indoors and spent 45 minutes scrubbing it clean....lol I have lost count of how many acrylic blocks i have bought in the last 2 years...where do they go??? what happens to them??? It really baffles me...lol
..So much for my fun filled...stress free night of crafting! So who knows when i will get the chance to go play in there again :(

I thought that this idea just went so well with the quote (I already had it stamped...lol)
Ive basically just painted over the blue paper with some green paint! as the quote says " If you are feeling blue,try painting yourself a different color" haha

Supplies used:

paper-ff

quote stamp -inkadinkadoo

paint - mm

liquid pearls

TFL

Shaz xx

Project tuesday challenge

This weeks challenge over at project tuesday was a 1 sheet box!
It was actually very simple to make *Although on my first attempt it went wrong as i scored my card wrong...lol*
I have fetched lots of my old stamps out to play!
I know that the stamped sentiment isnt straight...lol I had cut some pieces of white cs down to size and then stamped the sentiment onto them...everytime i stamped it,it was wonky *Guess i should have stamped 1st and then cut to size'

Supplies used:
CS- papermill
All stamps - Aspects of design
momento ink pad
copics.
Ribbon - Stash

TFL
Shaz xx

Stamp with us challenge

I decided to join with this weeks challenge over at Stamp with us
The challenge was a pic inspiration.
I struggled a bit with deciding what to do! as i wanted to use primarily SU products.
I dont really have any floral su stamps,so i was a little 'stumped' lol
In the end i fetched one of me old fave's out to play :)

Supplies used:

CS - SU

Inkpad - SU

Sentiment stamp - SU

Flower stamp - Aspects of design

Inkasentials white pen.

Ribbon -stash

TFL

Shaz xx