Spooky Halloween

Hello everyone, I hope you are doing well.   

Chocolate Baroque recently launched three fabulous Halloween sets and while I don't make many Halloween cards I couldn't resist ordering Book of Spells while I was on a break from the DT.  The spider web corner fragment is awesome and I think it would be fun in non Halloween designs as well.

The sentiment is from Bewitched Moonlight and the rest of the images are from Book of Spells.  The background is Distress Inks and I used a lovely stencil by Tim Holtz.   I used Inktense pencils to add a little colour to the haunted house and lots of glitter on the roof and ghosts.     

Thanks for your visit,
Shirleyx

Chocolate Baroque Colour Challenge #4

Hello dear blog friends, I hope your week is going well.  I still have family visiting and don't have much time for visiting blogs this week.  I will get caught up eventually!

I have a card today that I designed for Chocolate Baroque's Colour Challenge #4.   I love the colours for this challenge and enjoyed working with them using CB's Indian stamps.

The background was created using the Acrylic Block Technique with Picked Raspberry, Persimmon, Rusty Hinge and Mahogany Distress Inks.  I also stamped the designs from Indian Textiles with Distress inks.  The elephant from Indian Elephant set was embossed with gold and coloured with Distress Inks (on my craft mat with water & brush).    The die cut flowers are by Crealies - CL CF 18.

If you have time we would love if you could join in the fun and for a chance to win £15 gift voucher at Chocolate Baroque.  All the details for the Challenge Blog can be found here.   Below is the gorgeous colour inspiration (designed by Lesley) for the current challenge:

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!
Shirleyx

Christmas with Pink & Blue 'Twins'

Hello dear blog friends, I hope you are doing well and enjoying the weekend, it's sunny and cool here.   I'm enjoying a visit with special family from overseas :) 

I have a couple more Christmas designs today that are 'twins' but not 'identicle' and a change from green & blue :)

The background is Raspberry & Peacock Distress Inks.  I used two stencils by Memory Box and also Gesso with TCW Circle Explosion stencil (which has been one of my favorites since I discovered stencils, it's 'well used').

I over stamped using the negative snowflakes from Chocolate Baroque's A Child is Born, I love the effect they give on backgrounds.   The star die cuts are also by Memory Box and Merry Christmas is from Chocolate Baroque's Bold Christmas Words.  I also added a little sparkle embossing powder here & there.

And here is the 'twin'

Thanks for your visit and have a great day,
Shirley

Chocolate Baroque Colour Challenge #3 and a Free Download!

Hello everyone, I hope you are doing well.  I'm sorry I'm behind visiting blogs. 

I have a design today for Chocolate Baroque's Colour Challenge #3 using this month's free digital download for the background.  

If you would like the two beautiful FREE downloads just head over to CB's Colour Challenge Blog to 'pick them up'.  We would love it if you joined us in the challenge as well. 

I used both Autumn Base and Autumn Overcoat for this design.  It was quick to make this card, the flowers took the most time which I coloured with Distress Inks (Walnut and Rusty Hinge).  I also added a little Rusty Hinge DI to the bottom background.   The Fairy was stamped with Coffee Archival Ink and is from the  October Fairy set.

 
The die cuts are Crealie CL CF25 and CL CS 02.

And here is the gorgeous Colour Challenge Inspiration design (by Lesley):

Thanks for your visit and have a great day,
Shirleyx

Jingle Bells in Green and Blue

Hello dear blog friends, I hope you are enjoying the weekend.   We woke up to frost this morning, the above normal summer temperatures have left us.  Fall has arrived with cooler and wetter weather, it rained a lot over the last couple of days.  Sorry that I'm still behind in blogging,  I will get caught up eventually :).

I have another Christmas design today that I made last week using the same blue & green Dylusions ink background.  

I used white Acrylic paint and Distress Inks with stencils by Memory Box over the background.    I coloured the bells with Prisma Pencils.  The stamps are from Chocolate Baroque:  A Child is Born and Christmas Magic (sentiment).

Thanks for your visit and have a great day,
Shirleyx

Autumn's Vibrant Colours

Hello blogging friends, I hope you had a great weekend.   We enjoyed 'summer like' temperatures and lots of sunshine.   The leaves are showing gorgeous vibrant oranges early this fall.    It must have something to do with our cool wet summer and recent cold nights.

I used a couple of Design by Ryn's fabulous stencils and a Fairy stamp to create this Autumn design.   

The background was created with Distress Inks using the Acrylic Block technique.  I blended Distress Inks over the Flowing Branches stencil and  bronze Viva 3D Decor Modelling Creme over the Maiden Hair Fern stencil.  I stamped Dragon Fly Faerie with coffee Archival Ink, coloured with Prisma Pencils, cut her out and attached over the background.  I also added holograph glitter to her wings. Autumn is from Chocolate Baroque's November Fairy set. 

Thanks for your visit and have a great week,
Shirleyx

Green & Blue Christmas Magic

Hello dear blog friends I hope you are doing well.  I managed to get back into the craft room, life is getting back to normal, it's wonderful :)

I'm on the same colour theme, but this time for Christmas using a beautiful new stamp set that was released this month by Chocolate Baroque and I couldn't resist ordering.   I love the 'negative' style snowflakes.  I'm looking forward to be back 'working' with the Design Team soon.

Chocolate Baroque stamp sets used for above card:  A Child is Born and Christmas Magic.  The pretty die cut snowflakes are by Joy.

The background for this card was created again with Dylusions inks and gold Glimmermist spray.  I added some 'blobs' of Gesso as well.   I stamped over the background using a couple of the snowflakes from the set.  I coloured the angel with Inktense pencils and added lots of stickles.

Here is a look at the complete stamp set, it's gorgeous:

Well that's all for this morning, thanks for your visit and have a great day,
Shirley x     

Working with new Stencils in a pink room!

Hello blogging friends, I hope you are all doing well.     We are finally settled into our new home, happy to have most of the big projects done, it was a busy summer and suddenly Fall has arrived.   We are still working on our new gardens but I finally found time for crafting, which sure feels good :)

I was frustrated one day while still waiting for my 'craft studio' to be painted and decided it could stay pink for a while.  I'm not a 'pink girl' and it's the only room in the house that needs re-painting.    My husband has been working hard and ran out of time so I unpacked all my boxes, put away the drawers, a new desk was assembled and I'm able to 'play' again!

Ryn from Design by Ryn sent me her fabulous new stencils prior to our move, two were still waiting for me to 'work' with them.    What I came up with seems very familiar, either I've created similar designs or I've been influenced by my talented DT teammates.   I did have fun and as you can see I've used my 'go to' or 'fav' colour combos !

I used Dylusions inks, gold Glimmermist and Gesso on both Designs.

Design by Ryn stamps above:  Sea Bubbles Set and Candra (the Moth)
Design by Ryn stencils above:  Flowing Branches (faint) and Maidenhair Fern (with Gesso)

Design by Ryn stamps above:  Striped Reed Set.  The words are from a freebie from the Craftstamper magazine.
Design by Ryn stencils above:  Flowing Branches (with Gesso), Floral Spirals, Maidenhair Fern

It was great to have a creative 'interlude' but I'm back working on gardens and getting ready for a family visit from overseas, so my blogging time is still limited for a while.

Thanks for visiting and have a great week,
Shirleyx