EXCITED OR WHAT!

Hey everyone

I am so excited.  I have chosen the DT for my new challenge blog which will go live on October 14th and they are all extremely talented and am so happy they actually want to be with me on this new adventure.  I can't wait to see their creations.  I will constantly remind everyone in every which way I can, mainly on here, to get on over to ECLECTIC ELLAPU and show some lurrrrrrvvvvvvve!

Anyway nighty night all sweet dreams!

Hugz Elaine xxx

Ode to the Birdcage Mini Gift Bag

Hi all

Just a quick reminder my new challenge blog goes live with first challenge on the 14th October in case you're interested - ECLECTIC ELLAPU... why not hope over and leave some love lol

Its me again lol.  This will be a very short posting as I need to eat and Just want to get this on here.... NOW!  I have started to make a few gift bags for Xmas prezzies.  I say I have started his is the only one so far LOL.  I used TH bag die and covered with Birdcage and bird images with a few sentiments using various memento inks and clear embossing powder.  I then covered in TH distress inks and sprayed with a drop of water (truth is I sprayed too much and almost pegged it onto my washing line lol)  Anyway with the help of the heat gun it dried crispy like.It really needed ironing to restore the card to it's original state.However I resisted it. Knowing me would have ruined my iron with embossing powder and ink. I decided to sit on it instead.  Can you see the bottom indents on it... look real hard now!  No only joking LOL.  

Anyway where was I before going off on a tangent? Oh yes its dry and crispy!I just worked with it in that poor state.  I managed to glue the edges together with my glue gun and yes you got it.  I glued my finger whilst holding the edges tight together lol.  The perfect crafter HUH! Guess what... by this point, when it was stuck hard together I realised I had forgotten to ink the inside to match.  So with a little bit of patience I peeled the edges apart.  What a waste of a burnt digit! I opened it out and distressed and yes wet it again and used that cute lil heat tool to make it all bent and crispy again LOL.  I am losing the will to live at that point in time.  I glued it all back together.  You are not going to believe the next part but it is true.  I realised I had not fixed the eyelets to hold the handles.   ARRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHH!  I then pulled the seam apart again for the fun of it, punched the holes, set the eyelets, well 3 went perfect and the 4th scrunched up.  Yes I had to remove that without tearing the bag!  Nearly stabbed myself in the process..... I hear sirens and it not the ambulance, it is the van from the funny farm come to get me!  I do suffer with mental health issues and never got a ride in one of them yet lol!  If only I had known that all it would take was to start making this lil ol bag I could have filfilled that particular dream alot sooner than now! Wonder what the board and lodgings are like LOL.  Ok I am getting back on track now. Oh yes I am now at the final stage (AGAIN!) of gluing the seam together.  Yayyyyy I did it and no more hitches.  Yes thats right.  I threaded the cord through those fabulously pretty eyelets and tied a knot in the ends to stop them getting away LOL.

Now what should I do with this bag.  Do I give it away with a prezzie in it or do I hang it in glass display cabinet with this lil ''Ode to the Bag'' alongside it for all to see?  It could very well be worth something in the future and be sought after by Sotherbys!!!!! NOT

Here are the two pics of the bag......... See was it worth it, I ask myself?

Anyway thats it from me for now.  I wanted to keep this posting short.. what on earth happened LOL.

Thanks for stopping by and have fun everyone

My advice, dont make a bag tonight!

Hugz and love

Elaine xxx

This might well be entered into the following challenges for the Pullitzer Prize or something relative to it! 

Stamps & Fun - Anything but a card 10s 
Anything but a card - 13s 
Labybug Crafts - anything goes 31s 
Unique Crafters - Anything goes 31s 
Scrapilicious - anything goes 12s 
Simon says stamp - anything goes 5s 
Bearly Mine - Anything but a card 10s 
JDE - Anything but a card 11s 
TTCRD - Anything goes 11s 
Tuesday Alchemy - Anything goes 11s

Adventure Guy - Mo Manning

Hey everyone

Today is the start of another exciting challenge over at Paper ala Mode, Outlawz. The challenge theme is to celebrate Labour Day and new beginnings.  I decided as soon as this cute guy appear over at Mo's I just had to have him for this project.  He looked kinda vintage so I couldn't be happier to distress it all LOL. The paper I already had in my stash and am so pleased it matched in perfectly.  The city names I produced in word. Now before you all start shouting at me that the cities are all out of sync I will tell you why... the little boy is lost... well actually I am rubbish at geography.  Anyway if it were perfect you wouldn't have anything to spot! Have to keep it interesting afterall.  I coloured him up using my pencils.  I used the alphabet die and clock hand by Tim Holtz which is secured with a brad. I then covered them with glossy accents Did I get North, South, East and West in the right positions ?????? LOL. 

Anyway thats it from me today.. well for the moment anyway.  I need to start looking at the blogs of the wonderful ladies who have applied to be on my design team over at Eclectic Ellapu.  Don't forget to drop by now ya all!  in the meantime get ya booty over to Outlawz and join in the fun.

See you there or be square!

Hugz Elaine xxx 

This has been entered into the following challenges

Digi Doodles Shop - Vintage 6s TOP THREE
Everybody Art - anything goes 11s 
TTCRD - Anything goes 4s 
Eureka stamps - anything goes 3s 
Hooked on Craft - For the men 30s 
MIM - Anything goes 4s 
Victorine Originals - Brown white one other 3s 
A gem of a challenge - Its a boy thing 13s 
Crafty Calender - Brown and cream 6o

Vintage Illusions - Creative Expressions

A very early good morning to you all

I just wanted to get this posted before heading to bed.  I know I will have a couple of cards posting later today for DT inspirations so thought I best get this one in now LOL.  I used my Vintage illusions stamps for this very simple card.  This will be going to a train enthusiast I know.  The background is a collage of all the stamps from the sheet with the train being the centre stage.  I used brown memento ink with clear embossing powder for the main part and clear for the background.  i then heavily distressed it all using Vintage photo.  Well hows that for speedy post LOL.  Anyway I am outta here now my bed is calling.

PS one more day til my DT call ends for Eclectic Ellapu.

Hugz Elaine xxx

This will be entered into the following challenges

Card Crafters Circle - For the Fellas 8s 
Simply Create Too - Vintage old 14s 
Digi Doodle Shop - Vintage 6s TOP THREE
All that scrap wednesday - anything goes 13s 
Frilly and Funky - resist 6s 
Scrapalicious USA - Anything goes 6s 
Simon saysStamp - anything goes 5s 
Anything goes - make own background 4s TOP FIVE
JDE - Anything goes 4s 
LEJ Designs - Anything goes 3s 
Sweet Stamps - fav technique emboss resist 4s 
Try it on Tuesday - travel 11s 
Catered Crop - Distress 2s 
The Squirrel and the fox - one for the men 5s 
A Gem of a Challenge - Its a boy thing 13s 
Crafty Calender - Brown and cream  6o

Bugaboo - Sassy Xmas Girl

First of all a little reminder that my DT SHOUT OUT is still running over at my new challenge blog - ECLECTIC ELLAPU.  It closes on the 31st August.  Why not have a look see!!! 



Its challenge time over at Creative Card Crew and the theme is Christmas and we are being sponsored by Bugaboo.  The winners prize is 7 digis - fab prize so you need to get on over there and enter you Christmas cards.  You know you have to be init to winit!

Anyway for my DT inspiration I have coloured up Sassy Xmas Girl.    I decided to go with a red/white theme just to get into the festive spirit.  I coloured her up using my promarkers and smothered the entire image (apart from her flesh that is) with glamour dusts.  The ribbon came from my stash as did the sentiment stamp.    This is a really simple card and really enjoyed making it.

Anyway here are the pics and don't forget to get on over to CCC and join in the fun.

Hugz Elaine xxx

This has been entered into the following challenges

MIM - Anything goes 3s 
The Crazy Challenge -Anything goes 3s 
Challenges 4 everybody - anything goes 3s 
Kenny K's Krafty Crew- Anything goes 3s 
OSAAT - Use a digi 2s 
Moving along with the times - anything but square 29a 
Divas by Design - Anything goes 28a

Xmas Pressie completed

Good evening all my crafty friends

 First of all a little reminder that my DT SHOUT OUT is still running over at my new challenge blog - ECLECTIC ELLAPU.  It closes on the 31st August.  Why not have a look see!!!

Hope you have all had a wonderful Sunday. I have had a relaxing crafting day.... perfick!!!!!!  I have had in my mind to start making my Christmas prezzies and I actually made a start.  In fact I completed one lol.All is good!

I made a mini album fopr one of my daughters in laws.  I just hope she will like it.  Here are the pics.  I did try to keep them to the bare minimum however did not succeed lol.  Here goes image saturation!

All used in this album were scraps from my ever growing scrap box lol.  I used chipboard as the base of it all.  Pleantly of ribbons and lace.  Tags and die cuts are Spellbinders, Memory Box and Tim Holtz. Rock candy was used along with the odd journal stamps.  The one worded sentiments are from some stamps I have had for ages.  They have finally had a use! The flowers were either hand made by me or have been altered using those from my stash. 

Well I hope I didn't bore you too much with this.....Please forgive me and call back soon. Pretty please LOL

Hugz Elaine xxx

This has been entered into the following challenges

Challenges 4 Everybody - Anything goes 4s
Come and get it - 3D flowers 1s 
Fashionable Stamping - handmade flowers 9s
Robyns Fetish - Anything but a card  1s
Stamptacular Sunday - Ribbons and Roses  2s
Allsorts - Its a gift  31a
JDE - Anything goes - 28a 
Paper Crafting Journey - Anything goes 12s 
Divas by Design - Anything goes - 28a

Flying Tricycle

Hi all

It is that time again for a new challenge over at Outlawz, Paper ala Mode.  The theme this week is Spread your wings.  Can be interpreted as new beginnings but project must have wings on.  

I quite liked this one as I have plenty of stamps for wings.  I decided the project was to be a tag.  I used a steampunk bike with wings stamp and a tree stamp and then embossed them.  The background sky I used milled lavender, stormy sky and broken china.  The moon I roughly used white picket fence crackle paint but I chipped away at it to give it texture for the moons craters. I stamps seperate wings, cut them out and embossed using crackle embossing powder and then used gold over the top to give the effect of rusty metal.  These I placed either side of the moon.  I hope you like this.  

Please hop on over to the Outlawz and join in on the fun.

Hugz Elaine xxx

This will be entered into the following challenges 

Craft Punked - Steampunk 31a WINNER
Poodles Parlour - Wings 6s 
JDE - Anything goes 27a 
Cheerful Stamp Pad - Steampunk 4s
Dream Valley Challenge - Steampunk 1s

Mothers Love - Delicious Doodles

First of all a little reminder that my DT SHOUT OUT is still running over at my new challenge blog - ECLECTIC ELLAPU.  It closes on the 31st August.  Why not have a look see!!!

Today I have coloured up this gorgeous image, found over at Delicious Doodles. I started putting this one together just after applying to be on their design team but alas it was not meant to be. SOB SOB SOB!!!. Thats it I now got it out my system.  The girls who have been picked are extremely talented and wish them all the best.  Anyway ONWARDS and UPWARDS.  

I went for the monochrome look with this one and as you can see extremely simple.  I embossed the background matted all the white card onto black. I used my prisma pencils to colour her up.  I used ribbon and gems from my stash.  Well thats it really LOL.  

I hope you all like it and will be back real soon.

Hugz Elaine xxx

This has been entered into the following challenges

Digi Doodles Shop - Pearls 31a 
Divas by Design - Anything goes - 30a 
Paper Shelter - Anything goes 30a 
Cupcake Craft - Black and White 27a 
Lollipop Crafts - Anything goes 27a 
Robyns Fetish - Use a Digi 25a 
Alphabet  Challenge - O is for one colour 8s

DT Shout out

For my new challenge blog, Eclectic Ellapu.

Details on Eclectic Ellapu..... please go have a peek!

You have seen my work so you will hopefully have a rough idea on what I like... anything creative.  Just bring yourself to the table through your creativity.  It can never be wrong as long as it is you!  My Design Team Leader Paula has already been handpicked and butt kicked into submission to join me.  You can find her blog here

Anyway pop on over to my NEW BLOG

Add your link and maybe we can build something fun together!

Hugz as always

Elaine xxx  PS Please stand by me whilst I fine tune the new blog - seems I can't get the basics right LOL.....