Yayyyyyy Good news and a project! -D

I am unsure as to you all know that my daughter was pregnant with twins.  She gave birth to them yesterday 3 weeks prem to the 37 week gestation period for twins.  They were born early evening yesterday and I am going to share a couple of pics with you.

Lili-Mae 5lb 5.5 oz

Harvey 4lb 8.5 oz

Are they not so so gorgeous.  I was in with my daughter while she had C-Section and watched everything.  I thought I would just share the clean pics.  I am still over whelmed with it all and my heart is just bursting.

Happy Christmas to me lol x

Right now onto my project which I can share with you all.  I made it for a friend, Paula, for Christmas and she now has it. I made a wall hanging for her craft room incorporating Christmas. I painted the background in a mixture of red and green acrylic paint.  I used steampunk christmas stamps which I think are by Sam Poole.  I used cogs and clocks from my stash and the colied wire are the stems from my flowers painted silver. The lock and key replace the star lol. The holly leaves and berries are also from my stash and I wired them together into a wreath. The poinsettas were lifeless and bright red to start with but I used red paint and manipulated them to breathe life into them.  The chain came from an old necklace to finish it off.  the back compliments the front without embellishments.

Hope you like it as much as my friend Paula does.

Happy Christmas everyone

Hugz Elaine xxx

This has been entered into the following challenges

Anything goes - trad colours 29d 
Celebrate the occasion - Christmas anything goes 24d 
Craftroom challenge - tag  8j
Creative craft - non trad (steampunk) 25d 
High Hopes - anything goes 8j 
Loves rubberstamps - merry christmas 24d 
 TTCRD - anything goes 24d
Tuesday Alchemy - anything but a card 24d 
Lady Annes Vicky 1st challenge - anything goes 8j 
Artistic Inspirations - anything goes 29d 
Incy wincy - holly 2j
Kaboodles doodles - anything goes christmas 23d 
MIM - anything goes 31d 
Tammys Scrapin corner - anything goes 24d 
Come and get it - anything christmas 23d 
dream Valley Challenges - christmas 5j 
Gingerloft - christmas 16j 
Squirrel and the fox - christmas 25d 
Allsorts - Oh christmas tree  22d
Di digi design - anything but a card 22d 
Anything but a card - 2j 
OOZAK - anything goes plus red 1j
Inspire me fridays - anything goes 21d
Winter wonderland - christmas tree 21d 
Divas by design - anything goes  8j
Crafty Creations - seasonal tag 1j 
Crafting by design - tags 26d 
Creative Belli - Christmas 1j 
Dragons Dream - Christmas 26d 

Year of the Snake..D

Hey everyone, 

It is that time again for another fab challenge over at Creative Card Crew.  The challenge set this time is to make a project following the theme of Red and Gold, year of the Snake, Asian or New Years and it will run for 3 weeks.  Yes an extra week to make your project....yayyy I chose to make a Shadow Book Card this time.  Just wanted to make something different.  

I used a set of Chinese stamps I forgot I had (ooops lol!) and embossed with gold.  I matted and layed the card for dimension.  The image of the snake, who I have named Hissing Sid, was found on the net and cut out.  I used gems for his eyes and covered him in rock candy as I did the zodiac circle.  

For the edging I gold embossed black card and used deckle scissors to give it a bit of an ummmpppphhhh!  The inside are more of the stamps at the back of Hissing Sid and was misted with red and gold. I used gold rub and buff all round the edges of the faux book pages and around the edges of practically everything.  

Well I think that is about all I can say about it.....Get your oxygen tanks ready because here is the drowning of all the pics lol.....Now why don't you all head on over to Creative Card Crew and join in the fun.

Hugz Elaine xxx 

This has been entered into the following challenges

Artistic Inspirations - anything goes 29d 
Bunny Zoe - celebration 25j 
MIM - anything goes 29d 
My Grafico - anything goes 23d 
Tammys scrapin corner - anything goes 23d
Challenges 4 everybody - anything goes 21d
Great Impressions - anything goes 29d 
Cards galore scrapbook - anything goes 26j
Memas craft - anything goes 29d
OOzak - anything goes with red 31d 
WOW - new year 28d WINNER OF 12 EMBOSSING POWDERS YAYYYY!
Crafty Catz - new beginnings 21d 
Inspire me fridays - anything goes 21d 

New Challenge and 2 Projects.D

Hey all

This week the challenge over at my blog - Eclectic Ellapu is ANYTHING GOES.  This will be running for 3 weeks until 5th January and is a joint challenge with both teams giving you inspiration with their really beautiful projects.  

I myself have made yet another tag for the challenge and also an altered mirror.  The mirror is a prezzie.  I keep saying it... when will it end... oh yes the 25th December lol.

First off the tag was stamped using a set made by Hampton Arts (I think!)  Got too many and have not catalogued them as well as I should have lol.  I used distress inks and paint as the background.  

The bow and the tag hanger are made using ribbon from my stash.  

I cut out the hearts using a die.  I painted them red with a little rub n buff over the edges.  I then used crackle glossy accents on one half of both hearts and the other half plain glossy accents.  I am hoping you can tell the effect it gives in the photo.  I used my cropadile big bite to punch through the hearts and tag.  The silhouettes were cut using a Tim Holtz die and also received the same treatment as the hearts.  

The sentiment came from the stamp set.  

I hope you enjoy the pics - the mother overload that is.

My next project is a cheap old mirror from the pound shop in town.  

The surround of the mirror was not wide enough for what I wanted to create so I cut out strips of chipboard and attached it to the frame to widen it.  

I then used gesso and cream acrylic over the top.  

I stamped onto tissue paper using some fab new stamps I have acquired recently by Katzelkraft using sepia archival ink. I tore the tissue before applying onto the frame using pva and water.  Once dry I dabbed and smudged distress inks over it to give the appearance of oldy worldy lol. I apologise for the photos... difficult taking pics of mirrors!

I do hope you have enjoyed peeking at my projects and I also hope you will be hopping on over to ECLECTIC ELLAPU for our 3 week challenge of ANYTHING GOES.  We love to look at your projects as not only do we hope to give you inspiration we enjoy being inspirated by you.

Hugz Elaine xxx

These have been entered into the following challenges.

Mirror

Anything but a card - anything 29d 
Memas Crafts - Anything goes 29d 
Delicious Doodles - anything but a card 19d 
Inspire me fridays -anything goes 21d 
Stempelsonnen - anything goes with a stamp 27d 
Wags n whiskers - anything goes 6j 
Stamp n doodle - something unusual 20d 
Tuesday alchemy - anything goes 18d 
Lady Annes Vickys 1st challenge - anything goes 8j 
Artistic inspirations - anything goes 17d 
MIM - anything goes 17d 
Smudgy antics - distress 17d

Tag
OOZAK - anything goes with red 31d
Really Reasonable ribbon- anything goes with ribbon 30d
Fussy and fancy - Tags or Banners 4j TOP FIVE
Jellypark - tags 27d
Art impressions - antiquing 20d  
crafty ribbons - tag 20d 
Bearly mine - anything goes 18d 
Craft room challenge - make a tag 6j
Inky impressions - use something old (ribbon) 19d 
Artistic inspirations - anything goes 17d 
Kaboodles Doodles - use red 17d 
Love to create - anything goes 17d

  

Ragged Angel - Mo Manning.....D

Yayyyyy another challenge going live over at my challenge blog ECLECTIC ELLAPU.  I am absolutely overwhelmed by the response we have had since starting up in October.... and long may it carry on I say!

This weeks challenge is hosted by the very talented Sheena and the theme is ''JOLLY & BRIGHT''.  Well it had to be yet another Christmas card didn't it lol!  Well it is that time of year afterall - oh did you not notice??? Well heres the rub.. only 15 days to go! Ha Ha!

Anyway back to business well pleasure really.  I decided to used the gorgeous Ragged Angel by the fantabulous Mo Manning.  I used this one alot last year and just still go back to it.  Not sure there is much improvement though lol.  Me that is not Mo!

I coloured her up using prisma pencils and initially used glitter for the snow around her feet.  This was not meant to be - I did not like it.  So out came the cotton wool and onwards and upwards to getting messy as per usual!  PVA and cotton wool hmmmmmmm!

The backing papers are by Summer Driggs.  Just love them.  The sentiment I magically made in Word.  This card is in fact for my dad and his wife.  Yes I am actually using this one!.  I used white crackle paint around the edge of the card.  I also used it on my snowflakes with some glamour dust on top. 

Now for the pics......

Well I hope you enjoyed your visit and I would love you to call again real soon.  Oh I would love it you dropped by ECLECTIC ELLAPU and left us some love.  Perhaps you could join in the fun while you are there.

Hugz Elaine xxx

This has been entered into the following challenges

ABC - V for Vintage 14d 
ATC cards with attitude - anything goes 14d 
 Fussy and Fancy - Ilove Christmas 21d 
Inspire me fridays - anything goes 14d 
Jingle Belles - December to remember 24d 
Stampin for the weekend - let it snow 23d 
Stempelsonne - anything goes with a stamp 13d 
Sweet and sassy - christmas 4j
Wags n Whiskers - anything goes 24d 
CRAFT - christmas 14d 
Craft us crazy - christmas 24d 
Delightful Challenges - Christmas 14d 
Its all about the vintage - christmas 22d 
Pixie Dust studio - sparkle/snowflakes 14d 
2 sisters - snowflakes 15d 
 Speedy and friends - red and green 17d
Crafts and me - anything goes 13d 
Creative moments - anything goes 12d 
Divas by design - let it snow 13d WINNER
Inky Impressions - snow 13d 
Pennys Paper Crafty - anthing goes 13d 
Simon says stamps - snowflakes 13d 
Tuesday Thowdown - white christmas 12d 
Shopping our stash - winter theme 12d 
Mos Digital pencil - anything goes 13d 0

Just thought I would share these........D

before posting them out, and also before I make some more lol.

I have put these cards together today as I thought I better make a serious start lol.  I have embossed them all using various stamps by Creative Expressions, Darcies and Joanna Sheen and one is Mo Manning digis. I used Stampendous Frantage for all of the embossing.  The backgrounds are made up of various Distress inks, splashed with water and shimmer sprays topped off with some more stamping of snowflakes and the word NOEL. 

Thats it for me right now but later on tonight my inspiration will be posted for the new challenge over at ECLECTIC ELLAPU.
I apologise for the quality of the pics and for the great number of them lol......

Hugz Elaine xx

I will be entering these into the following challenges

Craftymess - vintage christmas 28d 
Fairy Tale - Oh Christmas tree 21d 
Fussy and Fancy - I love Christmas 21d 
Inspire me fridays - anything goes 14d 
Jingle bells - december to remember 23d 
Stempelsonne - anything goes with stamp 14d 
C.R.A.F.T - christmas 14d 
Craft us Crazy - its beginning to look like ... 20d 
Christams at Sweet Stampin - anything goes 7j 
Simon says stamp - snowflakes 13d 
Cards und more - brown and white 18d 
Everybody art challenge - christmas12d 
JDE - inks and such 11d



  

A gift for a friend.....D

Hellllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

I have been working on a small project.  A gift for a friend at work and she loved it.  I altered a paper mache box by using burgundy paint as the base and pale pink as top layer crackled.  I just love crackle effect - can't get enough of it lol. I used the darker paint on the inside.  

The flower was once a tight rose.  I altered it using water and reshaping.  I used rub n buff on the edges before using varnish on top.  The leaves I cut using a spellbinder die.  They also got the paint and rub n buff treatment.  

I painstakingly stuck the gems on individully but you can probably tell from the pics lol.  I used glossy accents over the top of pearls to keep them in place and give that extra shine.  

Well that is it from me right now and I hope you like my wee project!

Hugz Elaine xxx

This has been entered into the following challenges

Papertake weekly - anything goes 12d 
TTCRD - anything goes 10d 
Tuesday Alchemy - anything but a card 10d TOP PICK
Artistic inspirations - anything goes 10d 
MIM - anything goes 10d 
Anything but a card - 14d 
Crafty-emblies - vintage/shabby chic 15d 
Fun with shapes and more - everything but christmas 6d 
Inspire me fridays - anything goes 8d 
Little Miss muffet - tags/gifts 11d 

Challenge time @ Creative Card Crew...D

I think time is just whizzing past.. nearly Christmas and dare I say it.. I am not ready for it LOL!

Anyway down to business.. well fun really.  It is challenge time again over at Creative Card Crew and the theme this fortnight is STAR.   Now I am not one for making Xmas cards etc so for this challenge I have decided to make a tag with a christmassy type theme.. I think!

I embossed the tag with a snowflake embossing folder and painted it with black acrylic paint.  Now why didn I just use black card.. well this is the thing I used the stiffener board out of an envelope. See recycling again, I just cant help myself.  Anyway with what I saved on the card I made up for in colours on it.  I used perfect pearls, gold rub n buff, silver, bronze and copper mist.. A little more black paint as made it too bright lol.  After that farce i thought I had better decorate it.  I used a couple of Christmas tree shapes and Christmas key shapes cut out on Craft Robo.  First time it has seen light of day since owning it lol.  Smacked wrists for me I think LOL.

I covered 3 silver snow flackes with burnt sienna paint and used 3 rusty tin stars above the trees.  I fixed the keys to the tag with a snowflake charm that could pass as a star if one closed their eyes lol.  I attached a chain to the snowflake.  

Now it is PIC time!

I do hope you like my latest take on Xmas.  Why not pop on over to Creative Card Crew and join in the fun with us! 

This has been entered into the following challenges

Artisitic Inspiration - anything goes 10d 
Crafty Bloggers Network - anything goes 31d 
Crafty Boots - anything goes 10d 
Critter Sketch - christmas 10d 
Incy Wincy - non trad colours christmas 10d 
Lexi's creations - christmas 10d 
Lollipop crafts - happy holidays 15d 
Love to create - Holiday cheer 10d 
MIM - anything goes 10d 
My Grafico - anything goes 10d 
Pretty little ribbons - Christmas 4j 
Tammys scrappin corner - anything christmas 11d 
There she goes - christmas 10d 
Unstampabelles - christmas 4j 
Amusing challenges - die cut 10d 
Corrosive challenges - anything goes 10d 
Creative inspirations- gift tag 10d 
Dream Valley - non trad colours 8d 
Great impressions - anything goes 1j 
OSAAT - anything goes 8d 
Quirky crafts - christmas tag 16d 2nd place Winner
Scrapper delight - non trad 16d 
Forever night - anything goes 7d 
Guylous - twisted christmas 14d 
inspire me friday - anything goes 8d
Crafts 4 eternity - any christmas project 7d 
Totally Paper crafts - christmassy not a card 7d 
7 Kids college fund - anything goes 4d 
Simon says stamp - anything goes 5d 

Birds, Birds, Birds!....D

Hello everyone

It is challenge time over at the The Outlawz, Paper ala Mode and the theme has been chosen my me.  The theme is birds.

I decided to dust off some of my stamps and once again another tag.  Well actually it is being used as a wall hanging with 2 scenes to chose from.

One side is depicting birds in the wild flying free as a bird lol.  I clear embossed the trees and the barbed wire.  The birds are black seeing as they are ravens.

The other side depicts caged birds being encouraged to fly away from their prisons.  The bird cage die cut has been covered in gold rub n buffand stuck down as 3D.The bird at the cage door I stamped, cut out and covered in glossy accents.  I finished it off with gold mist.

Hope you like it.  Why not pop on over to Paper ala Mode and join in with the challenge of Birds.

Hugz Elaine xxx

This has been entered into the following challenges

Artistic Inspirations - anything goes 3d 
Crafty Ann's - Animals 13d 
Inspire me fridays - Anything goes 7d 
Hanna and Friends - animals 7d 
Little Miss Muffet - tags/gifts 13d 
Simply Create - anything goes 13 d 
Simon says stamp - anything goes 6d 
Sisterhood of Crafters - embossing 10d 
Stampin' Royalty - tags 4d 
Anything goes - tags 10d 
Party time Tuesdays - anything goes 4d 
Tuesday Alchemy - anything goes 4d 
Crafty Boots challenge - anything goes 9d 
MIM - anything goes 3d 
My Grafico - anything goes 10d 
Challenges 4 everybody  - anything goes 7d