Sara Emily's making an art doll!

Hello and Good Morning!

Today's post is one from one of our previous Top 3 winners - Sara Emily from Sara's closet - and she's here with a special make and something different for her to share with you all...

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Hi! I’m Sara Emily aka sarascloset and I reside in Wilmington, NC, USA with my husband, 16 year old boy/girl twins,and my twin kitties. I started my crafting “career with a box of macaroni, some paper and home made paste as a child. As an elementary aged kid, I would draw and “furnish” rooms. In high school I signed up for every art class I could fit in my schedule. My art was put on hold while I finished college, started and finished a career in Physical Therapy and then raised my kids. When I finally returned about one and a half years ago, it was more to craft than art. So I’m kind of learning as I go, and it has been an amazing and rewarding experience for me.

When Chris over at Country View Challenges asked if I’d want to be a guest designer for Brenda’s challenge “Use Something New to You” I was thrilled and immediately had an art doll in mind! Full details can be found on my blog.This little bunny is nothing like what I had envisioned, but I was able to make it almost entirely from new products. Since I’ve never made an art doll, I guess that’s “new”, too! I hope this inspires YOU to try something you’ve never done or used before, and link up to this inspiring challenge. I can’t wait to see what you create!

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A fabulous make, a terrific idea and gorgeous colours - thank you Sara Emily!

So, if you've been looking for a new idea rather than using new products, how about an art doll, such a fab make!

Alison will be here on Thursday with her second, and our final, make for this challenge - don't miss it!

See you Thursday!

Chris and the team xxx

A stitch in time from Sue D!

Good morning!

It's Sunday and Sue D is here with a beautiful and colourful project to get you out of bed and inspired to craft today!

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Sue D

For my second piece this month I've used more new Dina stamps and a Tim Holtz stencil. I really enjoyed making this and I even did some hand sewing!

Hope you like it, and full details can be found on my blog here.

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Wow, this is gorgeous Sue, a fabulous splash of colour and great to see stitching and felt included here as part of the materials used, brilliant - thank you!

Whatever your preferred craft, we'd like to see what you're making that includes something new to you.  It may be a card, a tag, journal or scrapbook, it could be a piece of home decor, altered art, it might be something sewn, knitted or even some jewellery, there are so many crafts to choose from - all are welcome!

We will be back on Tuesday with another fabulous guest post, until then, have fun!

Chris and the team xxx

Butterflies with a difference from Sue B

Hello all!

There are some images that we see in abundance out there in blogland and butterflies are one of them.  Today, Sue B has taken them to a totally different level with this beautiful card...

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Sue B

Another Bg using the Bister Ink, I have added Texture and Patterned papers, to create this card. Step by step on my Blog.

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How gorgeous is this?  A fabulous array of butterflies Sue with great colours and texturing, thank you!

Whatever your favourite images are just get them out and show us something new to you to enter our challenge this month.  Our randomly chosen winner will receive a £20 shop voucher from our generous sponsor, Country View Crafts.

Our other Sue, Sue D, will be here on Sunday to inspire you with her second make for this month.

Have a fun weekend!

Chris and the team xxx

Nikki's here today...

Hello out there!

Good morning all, today Nikki's joining us with her second project and she has more new things to share...

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Nikki

For my second project this month I have used more new layering stencils and also some new distress paints. I am slowly increasing my range of colours and love them! More details and photos can be found over on my blog, Addicted to Art.

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This is beautiul Nikki and demonstrates how using new colours and stencils can produce a totally different result and completely revamps our older and favourite dies - thank you!

So what did you get that's new?  If you've new items then we'd like to see what you're doing with them.  If you didn't get any new goodies then why not try a new technique or use a material that you haven't used before?  Whatever you have, whatever you're trying, why not have a go and show us the end result?

Sue B will be here on Friday with another fabulous make so we hope to see you then!

Chris and the team xxx

It's a guest with Gelatos today!

Good morning all!

This morning we welcome our DTMSM winner from November's challenge, Jackie of Creating without crayons who is sharing her project made for our theme and she is going all out with Gelatos...

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Hello, Jackie P Neal here! 

To begin, I am a mainly self-taught, mixed media artist,loving all sorts and types of mediums and products- texture and color exciting my muse!

I live in a rural town in upstate New York,called Wolcott,on a small "farmette" of 13 acres,as we like to call it.Unfortunately for me, but good for the pocketbook,we live about 50 miles from any art supply stores! Ugh!- thank you Internet shopping!! heehee Everyday life for me is spending time with my husband and Golden Retriever; either gardening, walking the woods, putting up vegetables,organizing in the pole barn or in my studio playing and making art.

My life is truly blessed and I'm really so glad to be able to share some of  it with others- find more at my blog~  www.creatingwithoutcrayons-jackiepneal.com

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WOW! was I ever thrilled to be asked to be a guest designer for Country View Challenges!!

On any given day, the inspiration that is shown on CVC is to say the least, Incredible- so when I was notified by Chris, I was over the moon excited!  Next came the mind racking- what shall I create? Well if you follow along I'll show and tell and hopefully will have inspired you to go try something new!!

My project this month was a piece created by using or doing something new to me. I had to think hard on this because I like to try everything once, sometimes twice-teehee so I wasn't sure of what I would do.  Recently I was watching a tutorial from a friend's blog, Susanne Rose where she was using Gelatos on ATC's. Light-bulb moment here - I remembered in the beginning of the year, I won a set of Gelatos from Retro Cafe' Art and had not yet used them!!  This is what I created, a mini piece of wall art, featuring my using Gelatos for the first time.

For my substrate I used a piece of cardstock that had nice edging on both sides. I used the blue Gelato around the outside edges,smoothed in with my fingers and just inside of the blue on the top I used gold which was feathered-in to the blue. My next thing was to use a piece of scrap paper and apply with gel medium some vintage text. On this I used the same technique, applying Gelatos blue and gold, with my favorite art tool, my fingers! This time I used more of the gold, filling up the center of the text. Next was to add a few sprays of Lindy's starbursts,which is seen better in close-up. After that I added some DecoArt crackle glaze to give that vintage look to the center piece.  This part was then adhered to the substrate and scrap art graphics by itKuPiLLi were added.

The tiny gold stars at the top are pieces of gold gilt-applied with gel medium.And then I added just a hint of liquid glitter to the edges.On the bottom I added a smaller piece made the same way and attached this with a series of 3 jump rings. And to this hanging piece, I added my quote.

Thank you so much for joining me and many thanks and big hugs to Chris and the others at CVC for asking me along!   Jackie P Neal 

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This is beautiful Jackie, what a success - thank you!

If you have been given some new crafty items then we'd like to see what you've done with them.  We don't mind whether you're an expert or a beginner, just tell us what it is that's new to you.  Our prize winner is chosen at random so everyone that enters has a fair chance of winning.  We also have four blog badge winners, our Top 3 and our DT Members' Special Mention and all winners are invited to join us as guests on our DT for the following month.

Nikki will be here on Wednesday so we hope you'll make that a date!  Have a fun day!

Chris and the team xxx

Jennie has a shadow box...

Yay, the weekend is here!

Hopefully you're lucky enough to have the weekend free from work so that you can get busy and craft!  (Can we also remind you that the January Sale is on at the Country View Crafts shop so you might want to go shopping too!)

Jennie is sharing her second DT make with us today - are you ready?  >:o)

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Jennie

I rather indulged myself during Susan's Advent Sale and bought a number of new dies. Here is my first make with the Brenda Walton Shadow Box Die - a little Vintage Hanging Box. It is quite small at 3.5" x 3" so embellishments had to be small as well but it was great fun. There are more details on my blog if you want to know more, but I am sure you will be seeing it again as I have lots of ideas for this lovely die!

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This is beautiful Jennie and what a super bargain you snapped up!  Thank you!

Whether you bought/received dies or stamps, chalks, inks or paints, paper, card or something entirely different, we'd like to see them!  Why not get busy and join us in this fab challenge where you can show us what your 'new thing' is?

We have another guest post on Monday so please don't forget to mark it in your diary!

Have a great weekend!

Chris and the team xxx

Brenda's sharing today!

Hello there! Brenda here to share another project with you for this current challenge 'use something new to you'. We may not have brand new things to use but it's ok to use something you've had a while and is 'new' to you to use or perhaps you've seen a new technique you want to try out, I've got both here.

I've really enjoyed playing and experimenting in my new Visual Diary using some of the older Wendy Vecchi stapms. I wonder what new things will be coming out from CHA in her range? Will have to keep my eyes open in the shop.

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Jennie will be here on Saturday to tempt you into joining in so do pop back and see us then!

Have fun!

Chris and the team xxx

Gabrielle got Lynne Perrella for Christmas!

Hi folks!

It's Tuesday (where did the weekend go?) and we're back today with our talented Gabrielle.  Gabrielle didn't actually get Lynne herself for Christmas, but some of her gorgeous stamps...

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Gabrielle

Ooh! I *might* have bought myself a Christmas present or two when I found these little shrines! I bought enough to keep me going for a while and this was my first attempt at using them - so that makes them 'new'!!! More details can be found on my blog... The wings are covered in old book paper and the lady is a Lynne Perrella for PaperArsty stamp. She fits very well doesn't she?! My lady's currently placed on top of my pile of acrylic blocks (guess who tidied up over Christmas!?!) but she needs a name - suggestions very welcome! Gabrielle x

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Very creative Gabrielle, you've certainly done Lynne proud, such a gorgeous make - thank you!

We'd like to see more of what YOU'VE been making with your new goodies but don't forget to let Gabrielle have your suggestions for a name.

Brenda will be here on Thursday strutting her stuff so we hope to see you then!

Chris and the team xxx

It's a guest post today with Donna G...

Good morning everyone, happy Sunday!

Today's post is a guest post from one of our November Top 3 blog badge winners - Donna from Inky and Quirky...

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Donna Gray

Hello everyone,my name is Donna Gray and I love everything mixed media! I have been told that my style is 'quirky' and I liked that so much that I changed my blog name to reflect it. I love to carve my own stamps and draw freehand and pretty much like to buy every different type of medium out there just to see what I prefer. You can find me here,please pop along and say hello ;)

I am so happy to be here today on this wonderful blog,its a real honour for me as the DT are such a talented bunch of lovely ladies and I have to confess here......I am a very regular user of the shop too! When I was told the theme is 'Use Something New To You' that made me think. Then I thought well I have just received some rather wonderful Luminarte Silks so I'll use them. For those of you that haven't used them before they are wonderful,so shimmery and colourful. You can use them neat or watered down depending on what effect you want. I decided that the other thing that would be new to me was making a little 3D art doll. I've long admired these but for some reason never got around to making one so now was the perfect excuse of course. It took 5 attempts to get the face just right....how does that happen....I suddenly discovered that I couldn't draw! 

You can see the beautiful depth of the Luminarte Silks here on the heart. You only need a little bit as they are so concentrated. The doll's face was coloured in using my beloved Faber Castell Polychromos,love these pencils,they have such rich tones and are so easy to use.

I have some more pictures and details on my blog for you and would love to see you there.

Thank you once again to the wonderful ladies at Countrview Challenges for their kind invitation and to all of you for looking. 

I hope you like it

Big Hugs

Donna xxx

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This is fabulous Donna and what a wonderful expression of our theme this month by combining new crafting goodies with a new and untried genre - beautiful, thank you!!

Are you inspired to join in with us yet?  We hope so!  You can enter as many times as you like (provided that each entry complies with our rules of course) and our winner is chosen at random to ensure that everyone has a chance of winning.  The winner will receive a £20 shop voucher from our generous sponsor, Country View Crafts, to spend in their online shop.

Gabrielle will be back with us on Tuesday so we hope to see you again then.

Chris and the team xxx

Doreen's having fun with Eclectica!

Hi everyone!

We have a beautiful card to share with you today in Doreen's own inimitable style...

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Doreen

Hello to you,I am back with my second sample and I have more new stamps from PaperArtsy 

Electica by Sara Naumann

Details can be found on my blog.

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This is GORGEOUS Doreen, a fabulous use of these stamps and some great texturing FX in there - thank you!

Please join us again on Sunday when we will be sharing a project created for you by one of our previous Top 3 winners.

Have fun!

Chris and the team xxx

Donna's airbrushing with a difference today....

Hello there!

Today we have a gorgeous, scenic project from Donna.  Very artistic and what a lucky lady...

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Some more play with the new eBrush....

......more details are on my blog.   Donna xx 

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This is fabulous Donna, I can see this technique giving a complete new life to so many stamps and stencils.... beautiful, thank you!

We are nothing if not diverse here at CVC Challenges!  We'd like to see what you're making and what new goodies you got for Christmas so please get crafting and show us!  Doreen will be here on Friday with another fab project so please don't miss it!

Bye for now,

Chris and the team xxx

Hanging around but feeling inspired...

Hi there!

Today is my turn for my second make for this theme.  Those of you that are regular followers will know that I have several crafting styles, I go with whatever takes me at the time.  This make is most definitely away from vintage and grunge and more in line with CAS, even if I have used Distressed spray and inks, lol...

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A mixture of Ranger products (including new Distress spay stains) together with Penny Black (a new script stamp), Heartfelt Creations, Tattered Lace (new embossing folder) and Tonic (new word dies), I am SOOOOO spoilt!  Details can be found on My corner of Heaven.  Chris xxx

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Through the month you will find all manner of projects posted here from CAS to grunge, contemporary to vintage and everything inbetween.  We encourage all crafters, no matter what you like making (including sewn and knitted items) and no matter what level of skill from beginners up.  Let's see what you're making please by linking your project using the widget below.

Donna will be here on Wednesday so we hope to see you then!

Chris and the team xxx

Brenda's starting off with a journal page...

Good morning and Happy Saturday!

If you're sitting there with streamers in your hair, surrounded by lipstick stained glasses and paper plates then we're sorry to tell you that you've slept through a couple of days and it's time to get up and.....

CRAFT!!!!

To start the individual projects we are aways led by the DTM who chose our theme so it's over to Brenda for her fabulous second make for the month...

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Brenda

I have chosen to use my Quote Journal as the new year begins and our thoughts turn to what we might wish for the coming twelve months ......... but as the lucky person I am I had new craft supplies to use, both purchases from Susan's amazing Advent surprises and some fabulous Christmas presents too.

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Gorgeous colours, fabulous textures and a terrific layout, what a great way to start the new year, thank you!  (Oh, and well done for making the best of Susan's Advent event..... such generous discounts for us all!)

Brenda's theme means that literally everyone and anyone can join in so we're hoping to see a great array of makes.  It's also going to be fun to share in what you've received or been up to that's new!  We'll be back on Monday with another project for you, see you then.

Have a fab weekend!

Chris and the team xxx