Last but not least...

...another make from Trace who has donated a third project this month and what a beauty it is!

"For this piece I decided to let the quote ( from Tim Holtz set ) take centre stage and created a layered hanging piece in soft colours. I created layers stamping onto the painted background as well as on tissue and lots of texture from grunge paste, through stencils, with treasure gold brushed over."

This is beautiful Trace, thanks for helping us end the month with a fanfare!

There are still 4 days remaining to get your projects finished and entered so please do join in and show us what you've been making. Don't forget, the winner receives a £20 shop voucher to spend and all our winners have the opportunity to join us the following month as a guest to design a project.

Good luck everyone! xxx

A second make from Chris

We're entering the last week of this challenge but there's still plenty of time to enter. If you're looking for yet more inspiration then see if this hanging from Chris helps...

www.mycornerofheaven.com

"This quotation by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry is one of my all-time favourites. The message is so powerful I thought it would be nice to make it into a hanging, for a lounge or bedroom wall perhaps? You can see more detailed photo's on my blog."

This looks beautiful Chris, thank you!

Believe it or not we still have another DT piece to show you in a few days time so do pop back and see it.  xxx

Gabrielle's second DT piece

We're now ¾ of the way through the challenge and what better could we show you than this fabulous, zingy set of journal pages from Gabrielle!

www.gabrielle-price.blogspot.co.uk

"For my second piece this month I used a quotation from Loretta Young. I used Dylusions Bubblegum Pink and Funky Fuchsia inks for the background and then, when dry, through a stencil. The people are also from the Dylusions range and the focus lady was 'bleached' out using a water brush filled with water. The stamps are Dylusions stamps and the arrow is from the mover and shapers range. The quotation is stamped using individual alphabet stamps - took ages one handed!!! I'd love to see how you're interpreting our theme this month so if you haven't entered yet please do!"

 These are fab Gabrielle, very eclectic - thank you!

We have just over a week left so please let us have your outstanding projects, we'd love to see more. There are still some more DT makes to show you so please don't think it's all over - far from it, we love to see our challenges going right up to the line.

More soon.  xxx

Trace's 2nd DT piece

How lovely to see all your makes and what you're doing with the challenge. Today we're featuring another project from Trace, this beautiful tag book...

"For my second make , I realised that there were so many wonderful quotations, that I love that I decided to make a mini tag book of my favourite quotes from some of my Tim Holtz stamps. I created a tag book using yummy distress paints and inks and lots of stamping before adding my quotes and securing with hitch fasteners, I will be able to add more as time goes on.

One of the pages inside, which I left quite plain to show off the quotes.

 

www.inkypinkycraft.blogspot.co.uk

This is a great tag book Trace and demonstrates how well we can put those quotes and sayings stamps to good use - thank you! 

We're seeing some beautiful projects being entered but we're only jut over half way through the challenge so please let's see more of what your creative thought processes are coming up with!

Another project in a few days. xxx

Here comes Astrid...

Astrid was our DTMSM (Design Team Member’s Special Mention) in June and we think you will see why when you see this stunning project she is featuring for us this month as one of our Guest Designers.

"When I was invited to be guest designer at the Country View Crafts Challenge site I was delighted, especially when I found out that the theme was Quotes and Sayings, as I love adding these to my projects. I decided to make a little 5” x 7” mixed media canvas; - making these is another firm favourite.

I started by adding some texture through a couple of masks and when dry added some strips of Tim Holtz Tissue Wrap and tiny scraps of leftover Scrapbook paper to the canvas with gel medium.

Next I added some Antique Linen and Weathered Wood Distress Paint using a brush rather than the applicator and spritzed with water to blend the two colours. I then added some Golden Fluid Acrylic paint in Paine’s Grey. I find the Golden Fluid Acrylics mix perfectly with the Distress paints as they are of a similar fluid consistency. I also added the eye stamp from the Tim Holtz Classic Favourites set, stamped on tissue paper with Jet Black Archival ink.

It needed something to frame it a bit so I inked around the edges with Gathered Twigs Distress Ink. I then decided it was all a bit too dark and yellow, so out came the Dylusions White Linen Spray to tone it all down a bit. As I did not want the eye to disappear I covered that with a damp baby wipe first.

When I was happy with my background, the fun of embellishing it could begin. I added some flowers, chipboard and a scrap of cheesecloth, adhering it with more gel medium. When dry, (keeping the eye carefully covered) I used various sprays and mists over my embellishment cluster and finally added some highlights with Treasure Gold in White Fire, both on the embellishment cluster and around the edges of the canvas.

Finally I stamped the Tim Holtz sentiment from his Way with Words set on to a scrap of one of his paper stashes that I had first toned down with some watered down Gesso. I stamped it in Black Archival and then embossed it with clear embossing powder to make it stand out a bit more. I cut and tore the lines into strips, added them to the canvas and then shaded around the edges with charcoal pencil for a bit more depth and that was it.

I would like to thank Country View Crafts for allowing me this guest design spot and hope you liked my project."

www.astridsartisticefforts.blogspot.co.uk

Thank you Astrid, your project is beautiful and such an inspirational make too!

If you haven’t entered yet we hope this will get your mojo into gear because we’d love to see what quotation or saying you like and what it conjures up in your crafting.

Another make soon. xxx

Jennie's second DT piece

August is flying by and we're already half way through our challenge. Today we have a beautiful make from Jennie, one of our F/T DTMs...

www.jennie-livethedream.blogspot.co.uk

"For my second project this month I have made a small (6" x 4") "meandering" Quotations mini book from a single sheet of 12 x 12 card stock creating some flap up pages and two pockets with tags.  I have decorated it with the lovely Graphic45 Edwardian Lady papers and the rest of the quotations from the Graphic45 Quotations Sheet.

There are more photographs on my blog of how I made the mini-book and all the individual pages." 

This an awesome mini book Jennie - thank you!

If this or any of our other DT projects have inspired you please let us know - better still, why not make your own and enter? We'll be posting another project in a few days, until then, have fun! xxx

Helen has joined us...

Yes, today we have a project from another of our June Top 3 awards - this beautiful (and very clever) card from Helen...

www.diningroomdrawers.blogspot.co.uk

"When I was thinking about the month's theme of 'Quotations and Sayings', this one from Tim Holtz's 'Way With Words' stamp set stood out to me. Over the past several months, we have been adapting to my daughter being diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, as well as a couple of other challenges, and I really believe that everything in life truly doesn't need to be perfect in order for it to be happy!

I've loved Sizzix for several years, and have a hearty collection of dies! In particular I enjoy working with those by Karen Burniston. For this card I used her Accordion Album, and accompanying Label and Frame dies. The papers are from Tim Holtz and Cosmo Cricket. (More details are on my blog.) I wanted the card to have a gentle and pretty feel about it."

We don't think anyone could fail to be impressed by this card - fabulous! Thank you Helen!

Our design team members and guests work very hard to bring us their projects so please do share some love and visit their blogs too - you'll find LOADS of fab projects to fire your imagination.

More in a few days folks.  xxx

July’s winner and awards

What another fabulous month July was – so many beautiful and creative entries. We're all grateful that we don’t have to chose the outright winner and that it is done at random because you’re all so worthy! Right, down to announcing the winner (via random.org) is…

 

Entry #20 is Janet Morris of http://janmorrisart.wordpress.com/ Well done Janet, an email is on it’s way to you!

Next we have our Top 3 merit awards and this month they’ve been chosen by Chris…

“Another really hard choice again this month and I can see so many makes that I’d like to give awards to! It has taken me hours and hours of whittling down my list but, as ever, I feel I must give the awards to those that I personally feel have met the challenge and demonstrated their ‘sizzle’, however that might be. My choices this month are (in numerical order):

	#14 – Dagmar of http://schaerfchenskreativwelt.blogspot.de/ "This bright and beautiful tag just leapt out at me and said ‘Summer sizzler’ all the way!"
	#94 – Sue the Iron of http://suetheiron.blogspot.co.uk/ "Definitely a sizzler but fun and funky too! This one brought a big smile to my face."
	#112 – Mian of http://mianspysselhorna.blogspot.se ”This quirky flamingo sitting sizzling on the beach is just so much fun and typifies the challenge theme.”

Well done to all three of you, emails and badges are on their way!

And, finally, our DTMSM (Design Team Member’s Special Mention) award: This goes to the entry who the judging team member thinks has shown the most originality and creativity in their project.

"I took my shortlist down to two entries and could not decide – I even slept on it overnight but still I couldn’t decide. So, this month, the award is split between two worthy winners and they are:

	#66 – serafeena of http://nichtniedlich.wordpress.com/ These flip-flop boxes are brilliant, so creative and fun.
	#113 – Carmen of http://carmenscreationss.blogspot.ca/ I’ve seen bottle labels but this hanging treat box is such a fab idea, very inventive.

Congrat’s to both of you, emails and badges go to you too!

That concludes the awards for July, thank you all for taking part and supporting us. Good luck to you all for this month’s challenge.

Another project will be posted tomorrow. xxx

Brenda's 2nd project

We're a week into the challenge and it's great to see your support and that you're entering into the spirit of the challenge - thank you!

To add some more inspiration to the mix we have a second project from Brenda...

www.bumblebeesandbutterflies.com

"Inspired by a day with Leandra at PaperArtsy I have used PA Fresco Finish paints, metal card and Lynne Perrella and PA stamps. The quote is from the HP1004EZ set."

 What a delicious tag Brenda, thank you!

This challenge has so much latitude it is constrained only by your choice of quotation/saying so please keep your entries coming. xxx

Inger's debut

We're off and running! Today we feature the first of our Top 3 Guest DTs - we have a stunning project to show you with Inger's debut.

www.ingerskortpyslerier.blogspot.ca

"The theme for Country View Crafts' challenge is 'Quotations and sayings' - I decided to use one of my favorite quotations I have on a stamp from Stampabilities. I just love this quotation and decided I wanted to make a feminine card with the quotation in focus! The dies are from Spellbinders (S4-233). Cardstock is 'Market' from MME. The flowers are all from Wild Orchid. The grungeboard/chipboard is from Tim Holtz and has been painted with white Tim Holtz distress crackle paint and cut in two to make it smaller. Also put in some doilies, lace and cheesecloth. The wooden ticket is from Recollections. I also used some stuff that I found around the house - a key and some stamps from a letter."

 A fabulous card Inger and a brilliant example of using a quote, thank you! We hope you find this piece as inspirational as we do. As long as you can quote the source or reference point of your quote/saying then you can enter what you like and as many times as you like so please keep them coming!

Have a great week, another project will be posted in a few days time. xxx

It's August and it's challenge #6 !!

Yes, it's August and we're not sure how we got here so quick! It appears that the older you get the faster the time goes which seems a little unfair to us, lol! Anyway, July was another fabulous month, lots and lots of B E A U T I F U L sizzling entries - you seem determined to make each month harder for us to choose winners! [g]

The theme for this month is:

'Quotations & sayings'

PLEASE READ THIS CAREFULLY !! You can design whatever kind of project you want, card, scrapbook page, journal, art, altered art, even a knitting or sewing project - anything as long as you made it yourself and it complies with the rules. What we need to see is a quotation or a saying - it might be a famous quotation from a book or it might be a saying from a stamp (there are so many out there) but it has to be attributable to someone or a url reference to a web page where you found it AND we need to see the source of whatever you've used mentioned in your blog.

Okay, let's get to it and show you what our wonderfully creative design team have come up with!


Wendy - Winner of our June challenge





www.spanishcrafter.blogspot.com.es

"Hi, my name is Wendy L, know as Spanishcrafter in blogland. I am so honoured to be invited to be a GDT for August.

I did have to have a think about this one. Then I realised that the time coincided with Hollie's birthday (my Grand-daughter) and I wanted to make her a really special card as it was her 1st birthday. I made a rough template from paper for the shape and size, to tell you the truth, I had an envelope (about 11" x 5") that I wanted to use as I have to post it to her. Then I cut the shape of number 1 from a fairly lightweight white card, then cut a smaller '1' from pink card and glued on the front and just over the fold at the top. I had to stick a plain piece of white card up the back of the card to make it stand up OK. Then I looked on the internet for a quotation for Grand - daughter and found this one - author unknown. She is a gift to me after losing my Grandson and I cherish every moment I spend with her.

This is where the quote came from: http://www.quotestoliveby2.com/granddaughter/index.html"

Chris


www.mycornerofheaven.com

"There is a wealth of material for this challenge, the quote I chose is an old Danish Proverb. Having chosen the quotation I thought about the meaning and decided to make the project about a gift for a friend. If I could choose only one gift for all my friends it would be candles. They have several meanings for me, all positive, but what comes through all of them is a feeling of peace and serenity so I decided to make a gift of a candle holder. The quote is an old Danish proverb found in various craft items and can also be found HERE."

Gabrielle


www.gabrielle-price.blogspot.co.uk

"Well, I'm back to crafting after my accident but it is all one handed! Here's a page from my journal. I used Fresh Lime ink for the background and Fresh Lime and White Linen inks through a number stencil. The quotation on the right is taken from a Wendy Vecchi stamp and I used a Dylusions alphabet stamp set to spell it out. On the left is a phrenology head stamp I adore with two Dylusions stamps used to make a headpiece. The quotation on her head is from another Ms Vecchi stamp set."

Jennie

www.jennie-livethedream.blogspot.co.uk

""Just be who you are" is a quote which I am sure all parents have used, mine certainly did. So I loved this quote from a Graphic45 Quotations Sheet and wanted it to be central to my layout. I didn't want to cut into this lovely piece of kraft music paper either, so I have used it complete but with plenty of cream and brown and just a flash of orange/red in the butterflies.

This wonderful photograph of my Nana taken in 1927 matched perfectly given the colours. There are some strategically placed flowers at the top as the photograph is stuck in a frame and we daren't take it out!"

Trace


www.inkypinkycraft.blogspot.co.uk

"For me an all time favourite Tim Holtz quote is 'enjoy the journey' and so I created a piece about memories and that celebrating of life's moments and treasuring the journey...enjoying its moments, for I guess the moments are what matters and make the journey.I also thoroughly enjoyed the creative journey of making this piece. I included the quote on a word band and also using the fab rub ons...(I also sneaked in follow your heart.)"

Brenda


www.bumblebeesandbutterflies.com

"I have used Artistic Outpost stamps and Prima paper to create this vintage card. The two girls could be sisters or best friends and I am sure they have a wonderful story to tell.
The quote comes from the AO Paperboy set."

A massive thanks to our fabulous design team for all their beautiful makes again for this month's challenge. They will be showing second us second projects at various stages of the month as well as projects from June's Top 3 and DTM's Special Mention so please keep popping back and checking out the new posts.

Don't forget, the winner (chosen at random) receives a £20 shop voucher and all mentions (winner, Top 3 and DTM's special mention) all get the opportunity to guest as a DTM and preview their own project the following month! Have a great month, we hope to see lots of lovely projects from you all.

Good luck everyone! xxx