Feeling Blue- the Creative Loops Challenge for September

Feeling Blue- the Creative Loops Challenge for September

Sorry but I’ve had a break so I didn’t realise the link up wasn’t working. Thanks to those of you who have left a link anyway. I will sort out the link up and extend it by a week in case anyone revisits!

The challenge for September is Feeling Blue so you can produce any type of creative project with that theme. The challenge topic just needs to be a starting point for your inspiration so you could do a creative project linked to feeling blue or something blue …….you can do anything you think is linked to blue (family friendly please!). Please link up your project at the end of the post.

Being creative is a great way to improve your wellbeing. This infographic focuses on the benefits of sewing but it applies to all arts, crafts and creative pursuits.

The Creative Loops challenge is for all types of creatives and is truly anything goes- art, mixed media, sewing, knitting, quilting, card making, paper-craft, cross-stitch, photography, altered art, creative writing, graphic design, floral design……if it is creative and inspired by the challenge theme you can join in. The idea is to connect and inspire creatives. We are a local group that meet weekly but anyone is welcome to join the challenge and link up their project.

Feel free to add any ideas and to chat about inspirations in the comments. I always appreciate knowing someone is reading.

Here is an inspiration board of ideas you could use with the links listed below. Some of the links are tutorials. Please add your finished projects at the bottom of this post.

Creative loops challenge feeling blue

By members of Creative Loops

  1. Treasure test by Elaine
  2. Bokeh card by Kristina
  3. Coat by sewing teacher Carrie for a class she is running this Autumn at Pottery on the Parade London SE9
  4. Dolphin puzzle by Melanie at fox-puzzles
  5. Memory making frame for a 16th birthday by Elaine
  6. Art by Annette
  7. Art by Jocelyn
  8. Card by Elaine

Inspiration from others

  1. Delft wedding cake at Bellaria Cake Design
  2. Painting the blues- a video tutorial for art journaling when you are feeling blue
  3. Shibori designs tutorial
  4. Blue iridescent stained glass heart by neilsglass on Etsy
  5. Blue floral card by Klaudia
  6. Embroidered Delft pattern brooch tutorial
  7. Blue moon nature photography on Etsy by FizzStudio
  8. Tutorial using bleach and a stencil to add designs to denim by Orly Shani
  9. Knitted blue tit at Ravelry- free pattern
  10. Tutorial for polymer clay bracelet in Delft style by Cara Hayman
  11. She wore blue velvet….tips on sewing with velvet at By Hand London
  12. Cookie monster cupcakes at I Am Baker
  13. Bridal brooch bouquet by Rubybloomscom on Etsy
  14. Tutorial for lighted bottle by Ian Anderson
  15. Tutorial to refashion jeans into a pencil skirt by Lisa Maybe
  16. Free pattern for amiguri blue bunny
  17. Delft blue glass magnet set by AKADecorativeArt on Etsy
  18. Blue hydrangea floral arrangement at Wedding Chicks
  19. Blue velvet cake by Laura
  20. Tutorial on painting a hydrangea in watercolour by Leslie Fehling
  21. Tutorial on using jeans legs to make a clutch by Jessica Rebelo
  22. Beautiful crystal headpiece by LuluSplendor on Etsy
  23. Tutorial on drawing blue eyes with colouring pencil by Matt Fussel

 

Hopefully that provided enough ideas to inspire you. Now all you need to do is

  1. Get inspired
  2. Create (original and new creations only, please respect copyright)
  3. Take photos of your creation
  4. Link up
  5. Check out the other linked projects, comment on them etc. We want to build a community.
  6. I’d be grateful if you spread the word on this challenge by pinning the inspiration board or letting other creatives know about the challenge.

If you have a blog please write about your inspiration, how it links to this challenge and include a link to this post. Add a photo of your project with your name and a short description below. If you do not have a blog post you can upload and share your photo or email me a copy of the photo and details. If you have any problems linking up there is a how to video and tutorial here.

 

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Pearls in my hair by A Day For Daisies- pretty in pink.

Pearls in my hair by A Day For Daisies- pretty in pink.

Our Creative Loops Challenge here this month is stars and/or stripes. This is my first card for the challenge using the beautiful digi called Pearls In My Hair from Day For Daisies. It is a birthday card for my lovely sister in law.

BirdsinherhairSally1

The stripe and floral papers were from the Victorian Roses by Make & Create. All the layers were matted onto pink card and the card was distressed using my Tim Holtz distress tool. I used a lovely translucent shimmery ribbon. All of these were from my extensive stash :-). I added three star gems and also some flowers from wild orchid crafts to embellish the card.

I used Craft Artist to create the top layer with the digi stamp and coloured the image using Promarkers.

BirdsinherhairCU

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges

Creative Loops- Stars and/or stripes

Use Your Stuff- Floral prints

Tuesday Throwdown- Happy Birthday

Freshly Brewed Designs- Birthdays

Craft Rockets Challenges- Spots and/or stripes

That’s Crafty Challenge- Bird’s of a Feather Challenge

 

 

 

 

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Wee dreamy dragon recuperates

Wee dreamy dragon recuperates

This is a get well card for a friend recuperating from an operation. I was inspired by this photo and colour scheme from the Fun with Shapes and More challenges.

The colours were perfect for the little wee dragon and I loved the photo so much I wanted to use the elements to make some papers in Craft Artist.

I used the colour matching on the software to get the right colours for the papers. I added a starfish motif to the background paper and coloured it orange. I then used a waves and chevron paper recoloured to match the challenge pallette. I layered onto shimmery mango card from my stash and coloured all the edges and sponged the edges of the card with Spiced Marmalade Distress ink.

I added sweetheart bloom flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts and flower gems from stash.
The Dreamy Dragon image is from Wee Stamps and I coloured it with Promarkers. I added a touch of glitter to the middle of the flowers using my Sakura Glitter Pen. I painted the sky using alcohol blending solution to get a sky effect and then painted colouds using my new Molotow white acrylic pen.

I also made the inside. Using Craft Artist meant I could save ink and money by digitally layering the inside.

I would like to enter the following challenges
Digi sketch challenge– Get Well Soon with layout sketch

Fun with shapes and more– colour challenge (inspiration photos and colours at top of post!)
Papertake weekly– Oh how cute
Live and Love Crafts inspiration– things with wings
Natalie and Amy’s Challenge– things with wings

Can I meet the deadline?

Can I meet the deadline?

I have put this together in about an hour- when I saw the sketch at the crafting when we can sketch challenge I just had to go for it! I grabbed some left over digital papers I had printed together with a matching freebie I had out from a previous card.Of course grabbing things on my desk this month has to involve pink!

The rose papers were made digitally and the damask paper was a freebie. My mat was pearlescent card with blended pink distress ink and then stamped with a damask stamp and flocked.
The image is a Lili of the valley die cut but I recoloured the dots on the dress, shoes, bag, flower and background with pro and flexmarkers to match the card colours.

The ribbon was from stash and was coloured with Promarker to match the image- pink ribbon for the stamping boutique challenge.  I added 3 pearls to the top corner, coloured with the same Promarker, and 3 flowers from Wild Orchid Craft to the bottom corner for a little embellishment.

I made the inside to match.

I would like to enter the following challenges
Wild Orchid Challenge– anything goes

The Stamping Boutique – pink ribbons

Crafting when we can sketch

Thanks so much to Crafting when we can- I won!!

Having a sketchy Sunday!

Having a sketchy Sunday!

Hi everyone! I wanted to use another sketch today- I find they help me when I’m in a rut or mojoless. This time I used sketch and stash- a great combination for a challenge as it also helped me to use up some scraps I have created recently. I have been playing with my new Daydream digikit in craft artist 2 and a lot of the papers I made are therefore teal and pink- I love this colour combo. Hence some matching scraps and I just designed a couple of things to finish off using the same colour scheme.
I’ve used pearlescent papers for printing and it was tough to get good photos today.

I used tumbled glass distress ink around the edges of my card- hopefully it was ok to mat with black card for the colour challenge- I had more scraps I wanted to use up and thought you wouldn’t mind as it is neutral!!

I decided to stay simple with my embellishments as there were quite a few layers- some pearls coloured pink on some of the flowers in my patterned paper and 3 of my flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts. It was really difficult to resist adding more flowers but I thought it would look too much!

 The sentiment isn’t showing too well but it is happy birthday.

I coloured my Saturated Canary digi with promarkers- my first attempt at black hair.

I decorated the inside with a kaleidoscope paper I had created.
I would like to enter the following challenges
Wild Orchid Challenge – Anything Goes 
Squigglefly – Teal, Pink, White

 

A gatefold stepper!

A gatefold stepper!

I decided to make up a card type for this birthday card!

I used pearlescent cards to make my gatefold and stepper cards and stuck them together! I used a MS punch on the edges of the cards. I used craft studio to make the papers- the mice are from Nitwits Thimbles and Threads. The flowers are from WOC.

I used pearlescent inks to colour the lace ribbons for the stepper cards. The beautiful digi is from the Paper Shelter.

 I also inked the doily for the inside using pearlescent inks sprayed on it.

I would like to enter the following challenges
The Paper Shelter- it’s a celebration
Tuesday Throwdown- for someone special
Creative craft challenges- faux or real stitching
Southern Girls Challenge- lets celebrate
Little Miss Muffet challenge- ribbons and buttons
Art impressions stamp- buttons
Clearly inspired challenge- birthday
Frosted designs- ribbons
Wags and Whiskers- fancy folds

A special sparkly birthday box!

A special sparkly birthday box!

I’ve finally done the box for the card I posted! Just to remind you I’ve taken a photo of the card in the box base!

This is the card folded down in the box base I made.

A side view of the box- I used a circle punch at each end to make it look a little more professional!

I used a single digi of a lily and then coloured it and made it into the heart frame digitally.  I added sticker corners and added pearls to them.

TIP: I added flowers from WOC and painted the edges of the petals with pearlescent ink to give them glimmer rather than glitter!

I added embossing ink to the raised surface of the purple resin embellishment and then added pink Perfect pearls. I painted the outside with perlescent purple ink.

I would like to enter the following challenges
Top tip Tuesday- silver, white and a hint of (purple)
4 Crafty Chicks Birthday
Wacky Wednesday- birthday
Whimsy- anything but a card
Challenge up your life- packaging/box
Paperplay challenge- tags and wrapping
Anything challenge- cutting corners
Crafty purple frog challenge- for someone special

Folding, folding, folding

Folding, folding, folding

Yep it’s my first attempt at a tri-fold card. Many thanks to the Top Tip Tuesday team for the great tutorial and inspiring DT cards. I’m really happy with this card as I managed to use lots of freebies from my stash so it was inexpensive but doesn’t look it!

I’ve used a Lili of the Valley die cut with lots of added stickles and also glossy accents on the robins and poinsettas. The flowers are all from Wild Orchid Crafts and I added stickles
TIP: It is easier to put stickles on your craft mat and catch the edges of the petals in it rather than applying the stickles direct (I find I use less this way too!)

The robbins, holly leaves, pressies and trees are all chipboards from a Forever Friends set free with a magazine and the papers were also magazine freebies.

I would like to enter the following challenges
Top Tip Tuesday- more than one fold
Wags ‘n’ whiskers- Christmas themed
Winter Wonderland- what a cutie
Phindy’s Place challenge- Christmas
The Crafty Pad- traditional Christmas colours red, green and gold
Everybody art challenge- Christmas card
Shopping our stash- Christmas or Winter

A special sparkly birthday

A special sparkly birthday

I was asked to make this based on another card that I did but I’ve tried a couple of new ideas and techniques to make it even more special! I’m adding lots of pictures as it won’t be staying with me for long! Despite all the photos and most of the card being covered with perfect pearls I don’t seem to have caught the shimmer and sparkle with my camera.

 As you can see this is an easel card for a very special birthday.

I used distress inks and pink perfect pearls around the scalloped edges of my card blank. I then used the same effect on the lilac card. I used my MS butterfly border punch at the top of the card. I then took some small butterflies that I’d punched out and coloured them by dipping them onto pink and purple alcohol inks placed on my craft mat. I tilted the edges up and glued them to the top.

On the base of the card I coloured the edges of the lilac card and papers with distress inks and pink perfect pearls. I tried a new technique to colour my lace with purple and pink pearlescent ink. I then added pearls into a swirl pattern. I added flowers from WOC.

TIP: you can colour embellishments and ribbons using the following technique- put small pools of glimmer mist, pearlescent ink or alcohol ink onto a silicone or glass mat. Using tweezers dip the embellishment or ribbon into the ink. If there are any gaps when you are finished then used the inks as a pallete and brush them onto any areas that have been missed. This can help you to match up colours on your card and also adds some shimmer!

 I punched the butterflies with a MS punch. I coloured them by dipping them in pink and purple peralescent ink. I also added some texture to them by adding some perfect pearls in embossing powder in places. I coloured small pearls with Promarkers and placed then in the centre of the butterflies.
I also made my first decorative pin. I took a flower pin left over from my wedding (Miachel Dark) and threaded pearl and snowball beads along it. I then bent is to become more of a swirl.

I’ve added paper to the back of the card and I have another piece of card ready for a personalised message to be stuck here.

I used a single lily digi to make the frame and add my Wee Stamps digi on Craft Artist. The image was coloured with Promarkers. I added some WOC flowers to the frame and sentiment. I used corners from WOC and stickled the edges.  I dabbed clear ink over this and added shimmer with pink Perfect pearls.

This is the base with card when open. I hope the recipient feels it is special! I need to make a box for it too.

I would like to enter the following challenges
Charisma cardz- lace and pearls
2 sisters challenge- let it sparkle
Digital Tuesday challenge- sparkle and shine
Patties Creations challenge- burthday or thanksgiving
Crafting when we can- female birthday
Top Tip Tuesday- More than 1 fold (OMG- check out the amazing DT cards here!!)
More than favors- birthday
Southern girls challenge embellishment bingo- lace, 3 patterned papers and glitter
Just some lines tic tac toe. Two lines!! Punch, digi, glitter. Punch, lace flower.

Life is like a box of chocolates

Life is like a box of chocolates

I made this box to hold a couple of Thorntons Chocolate bars as a birthday pressie (testing out the idea for Christmas!!). Sorry I don’t have time to write much tonight!!

Gorgeous LOTV stamp was coloured with Promarkers. Image then covered with embossing ink and pink Perfect Pearls applied. I added some flowers from WOC. The textured card stock sleeve was sprayed with glitter spray.
I would like to enter the following challenges
Whimsy inspires- flowers
Clearly iStamp- flowers