We have guests today

Hello everyone, it's always lovely to share what you have been making and today we have Moira and Asia who are our special Top 3 and DTMSM guests.

Moira

I am delighted to have been asked to do a Guest spot on the blog.

I started crafting in 2006 when I got married and wanted to have a go at making my own wedding favours.  Over the next couple of years I got into stamping and altering.  I then set up the Happy Daze online craft shop which I ran until I took early retirement die to ill health.  Unfortunately the blog I ran for many years was lost when I closed the shop, I have a new blog which commenced in January 2014.  The main focus of my work is mixed media including art journaling and altered art, journaling etc.  My work is usually quite bright and colourful with forays into the vintage and shabby.    I like working with paint, texture, stencils, ink sprays, stamps, coloured pencils.  

I am currently Guest DT for July and August for That’s Crafty and I was asked by Creative Cardmaking for a piece as they were looking for something more challenging for their readers and my card appeared in Issue 36.  

I am a member of the DecoArt Outreach Blogger Programme.

I’ve got your number

 

Wood Door Hangar

Gesso

DecoArt Modelling Paste

Number Stencil

DecoArt Media Acrylic Fluid  in Cobalt Teal, Cerulean Blue

American Multisurface Neon – Green

Eclectica EM12 stamp by Paper Artsy

Small number stamp  from Grunge stamp set by Art Journey

Archival Inkpad Jet Black

Pitt Big Brush Stamper PEns

White Sharpie Pen

Text stickers

Tim Holtz Remnant Rubs Numbers

Treasure Gold – Renaissance

DecoArt Media Texture Crackle

 

1.       Coat  the wood hangar in gesso

2.       Spread DecoArt Modelling paste through the number stencil with a palette knife

3.       Stamp the Eclectica stamp on the hangar and mask

4.       Apply  a thin layer of the Texture Crackle in odd spots here and there.

5.       Paint with the Cobalt Teal, Cerulean Blue  and Neo Green paints blending as you go

6.       Over stamp in a random fashion with a number stamp using the Pitt Big Brush Stamper Pen in green.

7.       Remove the mask and colour in the stamp with  Pitt Big Brush pens and pick out white highlights with the Sharpie pen

8.       Go over outline with black pen to ensure it pops

9.       Add text stickers

10.   Highlight the stencilled numbers and edges with Treasure Gold

Asia King

Hello everyone!

My name is Asia and you might already know me from my blog Under a Creative Spell. (link http://underacreativespell.blogspot.co.uk)

I'm Polish but I now live in the UK with my lovely hubby and an adorable cat Kropek. I work full time as a property manager and my crafting hobby is a real blessing after a long day at work. I am really lucky to live on the doorstep of the Cotswolds, a truly magical part of England and I often draw inspiration from its traditional vintage and country cottage style. 

I've always had a creative bug of one form or another. But my crafting adventure really took off after my wedding 6 years ago. It all started with our wedding stationery, then I made my first scrapbook album with the wedding and honeymoon photos. After that I just couldn't stop crafting!

Today I am a happy stamper and card maker, occasional scrapbooker, mixed media fan and handmade home decor lover.

My inspiration today is a wedding card I made for an amazing couple who celebrated their special day in a Château in Chef Boutonne in France. The area is known for its picturesque sunflower fields and these graceful blooms were chosen as the flowers of the wedding. No surprise then that they also had to feature in my card! :).

For more details and close-up photos of my card please hop over to my blog Under A Creative Spell.

permalink: http://underacreativespell.blogspot.com/2015/09/chateau-style-birthdays-and-sunflower.html

Thank you so much to Chris and the DT for inviting me to join the September's challenge. I hope my card has inspired you to play along with the Numbers theme! x

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Thank you both for your fabulous contributions today and providing more inspiration to our lovely readers. I am on the road today but I will be over to leave some love asap and I am sure some of our fabulous readers will be too.

I hope everyone has a great weekend. We will be back on Sunday with another brilliant project from one of the design team. See you then.

hugs Brenda and the CVC Team xxx

Ninety-nine

It's the lovely Sue's turn to share her second project today with a fabulous page from her journal.

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Sue

For my second piece I've gone back to the 1980's (did you see what I did there, more numbers lol) and one of the most annoying songs ever...

For more pictures click here for my blog.

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Haha Sue I remember it but couldn't think what it was all about so I looked it up. Apparently it is an anti war song, although the English version has slightly different lyrics to the original German one

If you want to listen to it, you can find it here on You Tube. Wikipedia explains that the lyrics of the original German version tell a story: 99 balloons are mistaken for UFOs, causing a general to send pilots to investigate. Finding nothing but child's balloons, the pilots decide to put on a show and shoot them down. The display of force worries the nations along the borders and the war ministers on each side bang the drums of conflict to grab power for themselves. In the end, a 99-year war results from the otherwise harmless flight of balloons, causing devastation on all sides without a victor. At the end, the singer walks through the devastated ruins and lets loose a balloon, watching it fly away.

Now don't ask what took me off on that tac but that's the musical history lesson over for today lol.

Thanks for the reminder of the song and a great page Sue.

We hope your week is going well.

hugs Brenda and the CVC Team xxx

Numbers everywhere

Welcome to a new week and a lovely start to Monday morning.

We have the lovely Rachel joining us with a numbers tag.

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Rachel

Hello all - for my second make for the numbers challenge I have made a tag using Tim Holtz and Dina Wakley goodies!

For full details please check out my blog here.

Hugs

Rachel x

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I'm off to take a look at the details on Rachel's blog. I love the number rectangles in the background which produce a lovely pop of colour for the Dina Wakley image to sit on. Thanks Rachel, this is lovely.

Have you seen our challenge yet? Have you thought about what you could make? Have you even already joined in? We're looking forward to seeing all your crafty number makes so I hope to see you over on the challenge blog.

Have a wonderful week.

hugs Brenda and the CVC Team

A very useful project

Hello lovely crafters, I hope your weekend has started well. Today we are joined by the lovely Monika who is sharing her second DT project with us for our Numbers challenge.

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Monika

I made this shabby chic box for one of my nephews. This box has an older sister in pink too - a girly version. If you like this, please hop on my blog and see the tutorial and more pictures. Thank you! Monika

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Isn't this just delightful and so useful and to think it comes in a pink girly version too. Great project Monika, thank you.

Have a lovely weekend all of you and if you have a few crafty moments to create something to do with numbers we sure hope you will share it and link to the challenge.

Take care.

Brenda and the CVC Team.

Choose to shine

Welcome everyone.

We're off at a gallop with round two of the Design Team makes for Nikki's 'Numbers' challenge and here is the lady herself with her next project to share with us. I have to say that with the sunburst effect, the gorgeous colours and the lovely flower and sentiment,Nikki is looking to hold onto the summer for a bit longer too.

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Nikki

I used one of my favourite techniques on this tag - heat embossing through a stencil to 'protect' some of the surface before covering the rest in black ink. For all the details on this and the painted flowers and numbers I would love to see you over at Addicted to Art today.

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Thanks Nikki, this is a beautiful tag and that embossing 'shines' through.

So after you've popped over to see the details for Nikki's tag I hope you will be creating a numbers project and popping back to the challenge blog (link in the sidebar) to share with us.

We'll be back again on Saturday with another DT member sharing her second sample with you. So until then 'Happy Crafting'.

hugs Brenda and the CVC Team xxx

A new challenge for September

Hi Everyone, August saw a great month for Country View Challenges with some fabulous entries with our Summertime theme, but we move into the autumn with a great new title from the lovely Nikki which is -

NUMBERS

I have to say I love this theme as there are so many ways to include numbers on your projects and the fabulous Design Team have created some great samples to give you some ideas and to inspire and encourage you to join in. At the end of the month one lucky person will be chosen for the winning voucher worth £20 to spend at Country View Crafts webshop. Scroll through to see some fabulous ideas.

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Doreen

This is a card made for my Grandaughter's 7th birthday...

Details from my blog

Here

Jennie

I am sure we would all love to create 365! I decided to use up some of my (long ago purchased) grey board letters for this tag. I am loving the combination of Blueprint and Twisted Citron Distress Ink so do please hop on over to my blog if you want to see how I used them on my tag and the letters.

Trace 

For my first make I have used all sorts of numbers to create a collage style background for my gorgeous three amigos, who seem full of fun and mischief. I love playing with numbers especially odd ones and they are always creeping into my makes.. this one was inspired by the number 3 initially for these cheeky chaps! For all the details please hop to here . trace  x

Gabrielle

I love numbers and so this new challenge is perfect for me! I chose to put stencilled numbers in the background and make the stamped figure hold one of them. I had a good tidy of my Studio the other day and found my Demo machine so used that for the sentiment! As always, there's more on my blog. Gabrielle x

Nikki

For my first creation this month I went with my first Christmas card of the season. I wanted to use the new snowflakes layering stencil. For all the details please pay a visit to Addicted to Art today.

Alison

There are so many numbers on this tag that I'm not sure you can count them!  They're there in the stamping, in the stencilled crackle, in the numerical ephemera, on the clock face.  Never mind counting them though... as long as you make today count.  Do come over to Words and Pictures if you'd like to see more.

Sue

Wow September already, how did that happen. For my first piece I've gone spookily cute, and I'm asking that age old question, 'does my bum look big in this'?

As always full details can be found here on my blog.

Monika

For the September Challenge - Numbers - I made two banners for my nephews. Since I always like to create something useful I will give them as a birthday decoration. I put their birth years and their ages  because it's all about numbers :-)

If you would like to make something similar as a birthday decoration, please visit my blog to see my tutorial. Thank you! Monika

Rachel

Hello there - Rachel here - for the first of my makes for the numbers challenge I have gone for card using this image which is one of my all time favourites!

For full details please check out my blog here.

Big Hugs! Rachel x

Debs

Hi everyone I'm sharing a small tag holder which I created to hold 4/5 tags. The plan is to make a few of these so that I can tidy my tags. As these will then be numbered I thought it was perfect for the new Challenge Theme which our very talented Nikki chose for us.

                                                For all the details please visit my blog
                                                             Take care Hugs Debs 

Brenda

For Nikki's fabulous challenge theme I have made a set of antique French number plaques using DecoArt products. I describe the process for the plaques and making this very special picture frame at Bumblebees and Butterflies.

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We look forward to seeing your submitted entries and we are sure you will enjoy taking up the challenge.

hugs Brenda and the CVC Team

An InLinkz Link-up

The sound of the sea

Has summer arrived back in your neck of the woods and I'm thinking UK as that's where we are based? I hope it's good for the Bank Holiday weekend. If it is you may well be inspired to go to the beach seeing Trace's next card.

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For my second summertime make this month I have again been inspired by the sea and the creatures hidden beneath, as to me the summer  reminds me of the gorgeous sea air and sounds of the waves. For all the details of how I created this please see my blog . xx trace x

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Oooh I'm definitely tempted Trace, I can hear the waves as they gently lap onto the shore and smell the sea breeze, such a great and evocative card. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Well it's the last weekend to get something made for the challenge, have you joined in yet? There's just a couple of days left, so see you over at the challenge blog soon.

hugs Brenda and the CVC Team

Hazel's gone all out summer colours!

Hello dear friends!

This morning we're delighted to welcome Hazel, a previous Top 3 winner, who is joining us to share her interpretation of our 'Summertime' theme...

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Hi, my name is Hazel Agnew and I have been crafting for a relatively short while!

I have always dabbled with art, and began experimenting with this altered art style when I retired from work recently! 

I have found so much inspiration from fellow “artists” on Facebook and Twitter and several Blog challenges…not least Countryview Challenge which has an abundance of talented designers with a wealth of different styles. I am most comfortable with messy art and work quite spontaneously; often not knowing where the mood will take me! I get ridiculously excited while crafting and my long suffering husband has adopted quite a few encouraging phrases when a piece of work is thrust under his nose!

 

I was over the moon to be in the Top 3 of the CountryView challenge in May. It was my very first award of any kind.

 

 

So, the topic for August is Summertime, and chosen by the extremely talented and inspirational Alison Bomber. It was Alison that encouraged me to join in with the Country View challenges!

I decided to play with the new stamps by Emma Godfrey which are holiday themed. They are so easy to use for this theme and I decided to use very bright summery colours.

I used the Paperartsy fresco paints by Lin Brown which have Bougainvillea in them! A colour that is now a must have, plus Glass Blue.

I worked in my journal; using drippage; Portfolio Pastels through a stencil; making washi tape; painting flowers and adding a recent holiday photo.

 

You can visit my blog for more details at www.craftroomgran.blogspot.com

 

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What a fabulous project Hazel, fab colours and great composition, a beautiful project - thank you!

Come on folks, time to get a shimmy on if you haven't joined in already as we're almost at the end of the month!

We'll be back on Saturday with our last post and one certainly not to be missed!

Chris and the CVC team xxx

Summer in the City

Today Sue is reminding us what summer looks like. With the rain pouring down at the moment here in the south of England, the hot summer colours here are gorgeous.

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For my second piece we've headed back to the city with the aid of some Brusho's and Stampotique stamps. If only Summers were like this here in the UK. More details can be found here

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Thanks for your hot summer page Sue, hopefully it will bring the sun back again before the autumn appears.

Don't forget you can click the August challenge link in the side-bar to be transported over to see our summertime challenge info and the fabulous DT inspirational makes. There are also lots of great entries to peruse as well if you have time.

See you again on Thursday.

hugs Brenda and the CVC Team xxxx

Hearts and flowers from Rachel

Good morning Crafters!

Today we have the second make for this month from Rachel and she has gone for hearts and flowers......

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Hello there! Rachel here today with another make for the wonderful theme of summertime. I have made a series of hangings using wonderful paperartsy goodies. I have been inspired by the garden again and colours - the summer is so full of colours!

You can get details of all the paperartsy goodness I used to make these on my blog here. I look forward to seeing you there!

Big hugs

rachel x

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How fab are these!? A great project Rachel - thank you!

We'd like to see what you're crafting that falls in line with our 'Summertime' theme so why not join in and you could be this month's winner of the £20 voucher sponsored so generously by Country View Crafts!

We'll have another great make for you on Tuesday - see you then!

Chris and the CVC team xxx

Jenny's our guest today!

Welcome friends!

We're delighted today to have Jenny (aka Buttons) as our guest.  Jenny is a previous Top 3 winner and she's taken time out to make something special to share with us...

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Hi there, Jenny Marples here of 'Pushing The Right Buttons'; Mixed Media Designer, Educator, Demonstrator, Design Team lead/member, for several companies/challenges, Craft Stamper Designer and all around busy bee!!! I was thrilled to have been chosen as one of the Top 3 way back in May and had a ball creating this Summertime project.

How many of us get back from Summertime holidays with photos that we do nothing with? I decided it was about time to make use of one, a shot of Jardin des Tuileries from a recent trip to Paris. Having covered the image with a thin coat of Glue n Seal to protect the surface I used Wendy Vecchi Silver embossing paste through Tim Holtz Wildflower stencil to add to the floral border (and obliterate some random strangers in the background!) To add colour Wendy Vecchi's Archival Inks were blended over the stencilled areas. Then it was just a case of using botanical Remnant Rubs, Industrious Border Stickers, a Small Talk sentiment and some Idea-ology Foliage to add to the design. You'll find all of these products in stock at Country View Crafts.

I hope this tempts you to make use of those holiday snaps in a more creative way and don't forget to enter the challenge to be in with a chance to be a Guest Designer too! Jenny x"

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What a great idea Jenny and a beautiful project - thank you!

Do take a hop over to Jenny's blog to see all the details if you can.  We'll be back again on Sunday so we hope to see you then but remember to keep those entries coming!  >:o)

Chris and the CVC team xxx

Canvas, canvas all the way

Greetings dear friends,

This morning we're joined by our lovely Nikki who is sharing this beautiful, textured canvas with us...

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It is another canvas for my second creation this month but a little different to the first. I am still focussing on flowers for summer but this time using grunge paper and treasure gold. More details over at Addicted to Art.

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This is fabulous Nikki, great texturing!

Why not join us?  Everyone has a chance of being our winner so link up with us and show us what you're up to!

We'll be back on Friday with another post, have fun!

Chris and the CVC team xxx

Pastel Summertime Princess!

Hello dear Friends!

For those of you that follow our blog, our post from Jennie today, will not disappoint.  Jennie is well renowned in blogland for her floral works of art but she also has an incredible touch with her palettes.  She is here this morning with her second share of the month...

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As soon as I saw this little girl in the Photobooth pack I just knew her name was Rose! I adore her smile and so wanted to create a Rose canvas for her which I have done using some of my favourite Graphic 45 papers and handmade flowers. Please join me over on my blog if you want to see more details.

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This is GORGEOUS Jennie, it is both delicate as a project but so strong in influence of our theme - thank you!

Jennie has been crafting for some years now but we welcome projects from beginners upwards.  We like to see how you craft, what your style is and how you interpret our theme.  We are lucky enough to be sponsored by a great on-line craft shop - Country View Crafts - and EVERYONE has a chance of winning our £20 shopping voucher.

Whatever your preferred genre, whatever your expreicnce, we want to see what you're crafting.  Do join us by linking your project(s) (via our post on August 1st) and see whether you're chosen as our winner!

Nikki will be here on Wednesday - join us, you won't be disappointed!

Have fun and thanks for visiting!

Chris and the CVC team xxx