Trio of cards

Monday, 11th April 2016

Hazel

For my second project this month I have made a trio of cards to highlight more new Dies from Tim Holtz. Creating bouquets of flowers seemed so fitting for our Spring topic.
You can see how I made them by nipping over to my blog.

Industrial Winner and Top Picks

Hello everybody!  It's time to announce our winner and top picks from last month's Industrial challenge.  What a great selection of entries - so many fantastic projects for us to visit and enjoy.  Just a quick reminder, though - do remember you need to include a link back to us here (not just a mention) in order to qualify for the prize draw.  Do get in touch if you're not sure how - I'm sure one of us will be able to help out.  But thank you to all of you for joining in with our birthday challenge and for your kind birthday wishes too.

But now, without further ado, here is our winner of the prize voucher, as picked by Mr Random Generator...

That's Sharon at From My Craft Desk who created this brilliantly zingy industrial tag.

Congratulations, Sharon!  We'll be in touch very soon with your badge, prize voucher and an invitation to come and join us as a guest here at Country View Challenges.

And now on to our Top Three, and Debs really had her work cut out trying to choose her favourites, but here they are, in no particular order...

#28 Mo Stokes of almo craft

Debs said: I love all the rusty layers, and how the cogs give so much depth to the piece. What really stands out for me, is the pop of blue and green on the butterfly. Love it!

#5 Deborah Gill of Dots, Dashes, Doodles and Dreams

Debs said: I think this is fabulous, a true piece of engineering. I love the way the cogs all seem interlocking and the pipe leads my eye around the clock. Great background too.

#13 Donna of Inky and Quirky

Debs said: I think I was drawn to this one because of the rusty butterfly(a fav of mine) as I love the rich colour, which fades out slightly on the tips. I also love the crackle background. 

And finally for the Design Team Member's Special Mention...

#27 Felix the Crafty Cat

A really charming take on the theme - the textures on this Industrial perambulator are fantastic.

Congratulations to all of you!  Badges will be on their way to you shortly, and we hope you will display them with pride.  Thank you again to everyone who joined in.  We had a great time visiting all your Industrial creations, and we hope you'll come and play along in Monika's lovely Spring challenge.  Happy Crafting all!

Alison and the CVC team x

What's inside my spring box?

Jane

Hello again, it's Jane here today and I am back today with my 2nd Spring inspiration piece. Thanks so much for all the wonderful comments you left for my debut piece on Friday. I had a wonderful birthday..so much to celebrate in one day!

 This time I have taken an empty face cream box and transformed it into a Spring gift box.

There is also something very special inside....a handmade mixed metal pendant for my daughter's Spring 30th birthday.

If you would like to see what's inside the box please pop over to my blog here where all will be revealed. I also have a step by step of how my box transformation took place.

I hope I may have inspired you to join in with our Spring challenge which is running until the 30th April.  The prize from Susan this month is awesome...the complete set of PaperArtsy infusions...wow I really wish I could enter too. 

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x

Springtime Party

Hi, it's Sue here with my second Springtime piece. I'm really enjoying playing with my Fresco paints and these soft Spring colours.

More details can be found here on my blog. Now it's your turn to join in and show us your Spring creations. Have fun!

Altered Clementine box for Spring

Monika

Hello there, I'm here to show you my second project of our April theme: Spring. This is again a box but now it's an altered Clementine box. I made it as a practical storage box for many good-for-something objects in the kitchen. In my blog you can find the details. Thank you!

April Challenge - Spring

Welcome everyone, the first quarter of the year has gone and we start our new challenge on April Fools Day, but we have no tricks up our sleeve, just a fabulous title

SPRING

chosen by the lovely Monika.
We would also like to introduce you to our 5 new Design Team Members in the line up with their first projects.

Gabrielle

I love Spring - the nights get lighter, the weather starts to warm up and the garden springs to life! I tried to evoke all of this in my small journal page! As always, there's more on my blog. Gabrielle x

Monika 

Hello Crafters, You have to know about me that I like to make practical and home decorating objects. This is why I have brought you a stamped and painted wooden box for our April Challenge - Spring. You can hide many tiny things in a wooden box like this. If you want to see the details and more photos, please click here.

Doreen

Hello, Well I love spring, all the new leaves and flowers appearing, the lighter

evenings and summer to look forward to.

You can get more details of my make from my blog.

Debs

I was so pleased when our lovely Monica chose Spring as her theme because I just love it, is my favourite time of year. The freshness of the colours, and the mildness of the weather together make me smile, ALOT! So with this in mind, I tried to capture the spirit of Spring in my simple Easter cards.  Pop over to my blog if you'd like to see how I created this set of four cards. Hugs Debs xx

Nikki

A spring canvas from me today - full of texture and spring colour. The design is based on a Brenda Brown project from one of her Country View Crafts workshops last year - you can see her original here. I have more photos of my version at Addicted to Art.

Alison

For this first creation for Monika's lovely challenge the usual springtime suspects are in place - butterflies and meadow flowers - but I've also been having a play with some wax to create translucent layers.  Do come over to Words and Pictures to see all the details.

Welcome Corrie as a new Design Team member.
Corrie

Hello everyone, 

For my very first project for Monika's April's challenge 'Spring', I have made a colourful panel:

If you pop over to my blog HERE, you will find a tutorial of how I made this. 

I will be back later in the month with another project ! 

Corrie xx

Please also welcome Jane to the team.

 Jane 

Hello, I am delighted to be sharing my very first piece as a new member of the Design Team today. It's also a very special day today as it's my birthday.  For the perfect April challenge theme of Spring I have made an accordion card. For this I used the first Sizzix die I ever bought...it was from Country View Crafts way back in 2013. I also created a master board to use for the frame and a step by step can be found over on my blog here. It's an exciting new adventure for me today.

Welcome Hazel as a new member too.

 Hazel

On my first design piece as part of the team, what better topic could there be but Spring! I immediately thought about fresh, vibrant greens and yellows and my canvas just sprung into life! It was also an excuse to try out the new dies by Tim Holtz! Pop over to my blog if you would like to see this in more detail.

Jennie

It is still a little early for spring here in the very north but the one thing I always love about this time of the year as we come out of winter is the way the severe winter weather leaves paint finishes on sheds, fences and boats.  I have tried to recreate this soft worn weathered look in a little group of ATCs. Please join me on my blog if you would like to see more and details of how I created the weathered wood effect.

Rachel

Hello there! I have had fun playing with some Paperartsy stamps and stencils and some Tim goodies to make this canvas. If you want more details please pop over to my blog here.

Rachel xx

Welcome Evelyn, thanks for joining us.

Evelyn

I´m excited to show you my first pieces as a new member of the Design Team! The theme "spring" of this month´s challenge is just perfect to grab some bright colours to welcome the upcoming time of renewing nature and the birds, returning from south. I created a couple of tags using a bunch of Tim Holtz products. If you want to see, how I made them, please pop over to my blog!

Brenda

At last the Spring leaves are starting to burst forth and there are blossoms and Spring flowers showing up everywhere. Isn't it wonderful to see Mother Nature shower our gardens and the countryside with wonderful shades of green and splashes of colour?

 I have re-cycled a canvas board today inviting us all to look through the window to see what flowers are blooming as the weather warms up.

And a welcome to Christine as the other newest member.

Christine (Craftyfield)

Hello, I am so pleased to be here with my first project as Country View Challenges DT! My first inspiration piece is my impression of a field, one fine spring morning. You can find all the details in my blog, and to whet your appetite I'll just say it involves Brushos...

Sue

Hi it's Sue here and welcome to Spring! I was lucky enough to attend a PaperArtsy training day recently and this is a combination of a couple of things that I made there. I just love these Spring colours and can't wait to say goodbye to Winter.  Full details can be found here on my blog.

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So it's over to you now, create your project and link it below and let's see who wins the prize this month of the complete set of PaperArtsy Infusions.  

And don't forget to come back throughout April for more inspiration

Susan and the CVC team xxx

An InLinkz Link-up

Clock Work

We've all had a great time with this month's Industrial challenge and it seems as though you have too! 

Jennie here today sharing my second project and the last DT project for this month.

I had fun with both real and chipboard clock parts using the Tim Holtz Clock Dies which I have had for ages and always love using. Do please join me on my blog if you would like to find out how I created it!

And talking of moving forward you only have two more days to join us in the challenge this month - the clock is ticking towards the new month when we will have another new challenge for you. 

Have a great crafting day!

Jennie x

Industrial Birds

Hi, it's Sue here, Happy Easter everyone. It's my turn to show you my second Industrial piece today, and I've gone for a PaperArtsy/Deco Arts/ Tim Holtz combo.

It's been ages since I've used these stamps so it was fun to revisit them. Further details can be found here on my blog. Thanks very much for looking, and enjoy the Bank Holiday. Will it rain - of course it will lol x

Industrial Chic?

Hi it's Brenda here and I am using canvas board today to create my second sample for our Industrial challenge (Find the quick link on the side panel if you would like to be transported there). I wanted to make something slightly different and as I like contrasts in my work I thought I would see what a shabby coloured background would look like with industrial, aged and time worn elements to embellish it.

Although I love the creation in real life the metallics I have used have made it difficult to take a decent photograph so you're really not seeing the best of it. But there's definitely a distinct contrast in the shabby and time worn colours so I guess it could be called industrial chic, what do you think?

As always there are more photos over on my blog, it would be lovely if you could come and visit at Bumblebees and Butterflies.

Have a great week.

hugs Brenda xxx

Industrial Inspiration

Hello all! I hope you're enjoying the Industrial challenge that we have running this month at Countryview challenges. I have got another piece to share with you today and full details can be found over at my blog here.

I hope you can pop over for some details!

Big hugs Rachel x

Industrial Tag

Hello to you all,Well we are half way through the challenge.

 I am back with my second make for you and have decided to make a tag.

I have die cut and added texture paste.  You can get more details

from my blog

Industrial Guest Designer - Karen Petitt

Hello all!  We are delighted to have some extra inspiration for you for the Industrial theme this month, courtesy of our December winner, Karen Petitt of Karen's Crafting Obsessions.  We're very happy to have you on board to help us celebrate our birthday this month, Karen!

Without more ado, let's take a look at Karen's amazing creation, and here some more about Karen herself as well as her beautiful Industrial hanging, in her very own words...

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I’ve crafted in one way or another since childhood.  At school I gained a Needlework O Level but I had to drop art which is a story for another time.  I’ve dabbled in glass painting, silk painting, watercolours, fashion design and I attended many different classes at Liberty’s Sewing School in London.  With the exception of the Liberty Sewing School Classes I was not inspired by the other courses.

About eighteen years ago I found stamping and paper crafting and very quickly I fell in love.  I am a stamp addict who adores playing with inks and or paints too.  I started creating cards for my husband and to me they had to be perfect and I continued along that journey for about sixteen years.  About a year ago I started to feel a little bored creating cards and the odd tag.

After seeing many wonderful projects in and around Blogger I fell head over heals in love with mixed media.  I’ve been happily experimenting and learning about different products and techniques for the past year.  Also I’ve a new found passion for shabby style cards and tags which are the complete opposite of what I used to create.  

For the Industrial challenge, I decided to create a distressed mixed media hanging.  I used an A4 chipboard sheet cut down to 15 cm x 20 cm.  I added a layer of white gesso and once dry I used Tim Holtz Salty Ocean Distress paint, two coats, gently drying each coat as I didn’t want the gesso or paint to bubble.  I attached a stencil with Washi tape, and added layers of Distress Stain that I dried with my heat tool.  I painted Tando Creative Chipboard Cogs with Distress Paint.  I stamped and heat embossed the sentiment and cogs onto card and attached using Matt Medium.

I used Distress Stains to add more colour, sprayed with water to get layers of colour and distressed look.  I used a tube of outliner to connect the cogs to each other.  I coloured the outliner with Perfect Pearls Heirloom Gold.  I used a Crackle Paint on sentiment and chipboard cogs.  Once dry I used gold acrylic paint to rub into the cracks and added a final layer of Matt Medium to the whole piece to seal it.

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Do hop over to Karen's Crafting Obsessions and take a look at the project in full - it's fantastic.  And especially given what you'll discover there about her first reaction to the theme.  What a brilliant leap outside your comfort zone, Karen, thank you!

We hope that will nudge you to leap into Industrial action and come and play along with the birthday challenge this month.  As always, there's a prize voucher on offer from the wonderful Country View Crafts, and you could be a Guest Designer here on the Country View Challenges blog too.  We're looking forward to seeing what you create.

Happy crafting all!

Alison and the CVC team x

Industrial Easter Bunny

I am loving this month's theme of "Industrial" and found myself wondering what the Easter Bunny would look like if they were given a little make over - after all Easter is just round the corner! So here is my take on an industrial rabbit! Lots of metal tape, embossing folders and paint techniques were used! Hope you like him (or is the Easter Bunny a girl?!) As always, there is more on my blog.  Gabrielle x