Jennie's gone purple....

This month Jennie is bring up the rear with a stunning make that we hope will encourage to get your projects finished and entered! Jennie is well known for her flowers (check out her tutorials here) and this one is definitely a beaut!

www.jennie-livethedream.blogspot.co.uk

"I really enjoyed using my Paper Artsy Fresco Finish Paints  on this small canvas - they blend so beautifully yet retain the texture on the canvas.  They also worked well on the metal embellishments as well.   This is my first venture into making flowers with crinoline - such a wonderful fabric to work with and which takes Distress Inks beautifully.  

There are more details on my blog."

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Oh Jennie, a fabulous canvas and what gorgeous colours - thank you!

This is the last of our DT posts for this month but you still have until 11.50pm on the 28th to enter!

Next month is very special as it's our first blogaversary so don't forget to pop back and see what we're doing! xxx

Gabrielle has been painting with Frescos...

Today's post is another project from our lovely Gabrielle who absolutely adores her PaperArtsy stash. With her second make she's been busy in the garden with JOFY...

http://gabrielle-price.blogspot.co.uk/

"For my second project for 'Painty Pleasures' I again used PaperArtsy's fabulous Fresco paints but combined them with PaperArtsy's Jofy stamps. I am utterly in love with these stamps as they are so incredibly versatile! I hope you're enjoying this month's theme as much as we are!"

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A gorgeous make Gabrielle - thank you!

Hopefully we will have demonstrated just how diverse paints can be and some of their many uses to the point where you'll want to join in. We still have a week to go so please jump in and have a go. Remember, the (random) winner receives a shop voucher for £20 from our sponsor, Country View Crafts.

We're still not done, there's another stunner due in a few days time. xxx

Amanda growing love in her garden...

Hi everyone, we have a great treat in store for you today to beat off the bad weather blues - it's a beautiful canvas from Amanda of Treasured Moments of Inspiration. Amanda was our DT Members' Special Mention winner in December and this fabulous make certainly shouts out our theme this month of 'Painty Pleasures'...

"I have created a wall hanging using a canvas board. I first stencilled texture paste through Butterfly meadow stencil by Crafters Workshop, I then stencilled some random hearts in the same way . I then painted with several colours of Paperartsty Fresco paints. Once dry I then put the stencil back on and picked out the elements and painted in contrasting colours to make them stand out. In particular the butterflies and the hearts. I then made some wire hearts by bending them into the required shape using rusty wire I then laid them on some old  book paper which I had painted with London bus paperartsy fresco paint, as this is a translucent paint the text can still be read. The final touch is to fill them with crackle glossy accents and leave to dry. Once dry cut away the paper which leaves you with these wonderful wired hearts. I then dripped dylusions spray in turquoise down the piece. I then dulled the piece down with vintage photo and walnut stain. The words I have added just came to me as I was making the piece I like to make my own words up, they were printed on the PC and then cut out and applied to the hanging with multi medium."

 http://amanda-momentsofinspiration.blogspot.co.uk

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Such a special sentiment to match this stunning canvas Amanda - thank you!

Remember that February is a short month but we still have oodles of time for you to get your projects completed and entered.

More soon. xxx

Trace has had a play day!

Today our very talented Trace is presenting her second make this month and what a fabulous hanging it is!

"Well this piece was inspired by my love of Distress, Distress paint and creating monochrome layers.I indulged myself in plenty of playtime and even found that you can spritz with Distress paints! I mean how cool is that!"

 http://inkypinkycraft.blogspot.co.uk/

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What a gorgeous project Trace! Thank you!

We're half way through the challenge month folks and we'd like to see more of what  you can do. Please do check out the entries we've had so far..... beautiful!

Another guest appearance in a few days. xxx

Vibekke is our guest today!

Our project today demonstrates that paint can be used daintily and delicately. Our guest, Vibekke, was a Top 3 winner in December and she is sharing her beautiful floral box with us...

"The box itself is made of cardboard.
Papers: Maja Design and old book page.
Tools:   Spellbinders die flower.
The frog: is a little porcelain figurine frog
Other: Distress Ink, Ribbon, leaves from Wild Orchid and Flowers, Melisa Frances decor flower,
berries from Magnolia and Prima also, pink twine.
Studio Gesso paint, acrylic paint and cheese cloth that I have sprayed on with Shimmer mist from Heidi Swapp."

 http://www.mixpapers.com

"I painted with acrylic paint on the flower which is made from an old book paper side, cut it out with a Spellbinders die and took a brad on. All leaves and flowers I painted on with Studio Gesso paint before I glued those on with hot glue."

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This is so feminine and pretty Vibekke - thank you!

We really would like to see some more entries and hope that you're busy out there working on your masterpieces! We will have yet more for you in a few days. xxx

OMG, it's a triple treat from Sue!

Paint, paint, glorious paint! There are so many kinds - watercolours, oils, Distress paints, acrylics, even plain old emulsion house paint - and so many ways of using them. You can interpret this theme from cards and tags, scrapbooks and home decor to altered art so why not get YOUR paints out and join us?

To show you just what beautiful painty projects you can achieve Sue has created this stunning triptych which would grace any shelf...

http://www.stampingsuestyle.blogspot.co.uk/

"I love stencilling and add that to my love of Fresco Finish paints and I'm in total heaven! This project allowed me to totally indulge myself !"

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This is definitely a stunner Sue - thank you!

We hope this inspires you to search through your treasures and see what you can create.

More (with another guest) in a few days. xxx

Ana is making her guest debut...

Today we have a guest joining the team, one of our Top 3 winners from December, Ana K of Anina papirckalnica with this beautiful project:

http://anina-papirckalnica.blogspot.co.uk

"For this challenge I decide to alter wooden frame and make a nice old looking wall decor... I love how you can get that old or aged look in a "new" item with just paint. I used different paints and other media, for more details and quick run through the process, please visit my blog."

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This is stunning Ana, thank you!

We're delighted to see we have some fabulous entries already - please do check them out!

More on Monday! xxx

January’s winners

Following a fabulous amount of entries and so much creativity we’re delighted to announce our worthy winners….

Our winner (chosen by random.org) is:

#176 Saba of Saba's Craft Land Well done Saba! A £20 shop voucher is on it’s way to you.

Our Top 3 choices, chosen by Gabrielle, are:

	#15 Ana K of Anina papirckalnica Congratulations Ana!
	#58 Terry of TERRY'S WORK IN PROGRESS Congratulations Terry!
	#105 kanda of KandA Creative Moments Congratulations kanda!

And Gabrielle’s choice for our DTMSM (DT Members’ Special Mention) award is:

#124 die amelie of Von Pappe II Well done die amelie!

Well done to our winners and a huge thank you to all who took part. Every month we find it equally as difficult to choose our winners, there are so many creative projects!

More tomorrow. xxx

Donna's sharing some love...

Yes Ladies and Gentlemen, we're off and running and the ball is firmly at the start of the first quarter! Already we have some beautiful entries - thank you!

Today we have Donna heading the field and she's sharing some love...

"Being so close to Valentines it was the perfect time to play with this little paper mache heart and some of my favourite distress paint....."

http://www.donnaslittlecraftycorner.blogspot.co.uk/

"More details on my blog."

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This is beauiful Donna, thank you!

We don't mind what kind of paint you use or how you use it as long as your project has a good dollop of it! We'd like to see how creative you can be and there's lots of time to get busy, you have until the 28th to submit your entry! The winner receives a £20 shop voucher to spend at Country View Crafts!

More in a few days. xxx

It's February and it's challenge #12

Is is us or has January just disappeared before our very craft rooms? lol We can't believe it!  Thank you to all of you who entered January's challenge, another bumper month with such beautiful entries. You are all so creative! As usual, our winners will be announced in about a week's time so please watch for the winners' post.

And now to February.... This month it's the turn of our very creative Trace to choose the challenge topic and Trace has chosen:

'PAINTY PLEASURES'

Your projects can be anything you'd like to make as long as there is a strong or base theme of paint. What kind of paint? Any kind of paint you like from watercolours to acrylics, oils to household paint, just paint, paint, paint.

As usual, we're kicking off our inspirational DT line up with our first guest for the month, winner of December's challenge...

kbrandy4 aka Hazel

of Hazel's Handmade Crafts

"I have altered an old tile using paint, papers, dies and embellishments. First I drilled two holes in the tile, painted it and then added some papers which I distressed and painted, a 'Tilda in Vintage Clothing' on a beautiful Spellbinders diecut and finished it with flowers and ribbons."

http://hazelshandmadecrafts.blogspot.co.uk

Trace

of inkypinkycraft

 http://inkypinkycraft.blogspot.co.uk/

"Well whilst paint is not my go to product I have fallen head over heals in love with the Distress Paints from the first few colours. They have some amazing properties and work so well with all the rest of the distress line, having some super cool reactions with water! So here is my painty playtime piece number one.. hopefully with a rusty feel?"

Donna

of Donna's Little Crafty Corner

"No hardship in choosing which paint to play with for this challenge........Distress Paint.....I LOVE it!!! Used it to create the background of this very large chipboard tag and also to paint the die cut 'umbrella man'....... "

http://www.donnaslittlecraftycorner.blogspot.co.uk/

"More details on my blog."

Gabrielle

of crafty thoughts

http://gabrielle-price.blogspot.co.uk/

"There is something really satisfying about paint. It can be used to cover large areas or to make delicate strokes. It's quite fabulous! For this Art Part panel I used PaperArtsy Fresco paint to cover the background and to highlight the flowers. I'm no painter by any means but painting a stamped image makes me look like I am!"

Jennie

of live the dream

http://www.jennie-livethedream.blogspot.co.uk/

"It is lovely to be back after a month off and I had great fun making these book covers for some of my Tim Holtz Stamp Sets.  I am quite a newbie to paints but I have really enjoyed using the fabulous Paper Artsy Fresco Finish Paints and the equally fabulous Grunge Paste to create the texture.  There are more details on my blog as to how I made the covers."

Sue

of Stamping Sue Style

 http://www.stampingsuestyle.blogspot.co.uk/

"Paint is my number one passion at the moment, there are so many different techniques you can use it for. I've used Fresco Finish paints and mixed it with embossing paste; painted flowers and metal; and stencilled with it too !"

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So there you have them - a diverse range of projects and techniques which we hope will encourage, inspire and motivate you to join in this month. The (randomly chosen) winner receives a £20 shop voucher and blog badge and we have 3 Top 3 badge awards as well as a DT Member's Special Mention badge to be won. All winners are invited to join us as a guest designer the following month.

GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL!