Ching-Chou Kuik's Digital Stamps Monthly Challenge Blog - Kym's Inspiration Post - Monday 10 August 2015

It is Monday and therefore time for me to show you my Inspiration Post for the Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps Monthly Challenge Blog.

Before I do I'd like to remind you that our challenge this month is "a floral display".  This could be that you use an image with flowers, backing papers with flowers, flowers as embellishments or all of these.  It would be lovely if you could take part.

 

For my card today I have used one of the newer images available in the Etsy Store by the very talented Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamp called "Flowery".  I have coloured the image in with my Promarkers and used pearlescent chalks for the background to add some sparkle.

The backing papers I have used all all purple ones as freebies from Hunkydory.  They are gorgeous and print out so well on a home computer.

For embellishments I have used a die-cut Tim Holtz doily threaded with some embroidery thread, lots of different flowers, swirly stamen, Tim Holtz butterfly border die-ct from the Hunkydory paper, a die-cut sentiment, butterflies cut out of one of the Hunkydory papers and some gems.

I am entering this card into the following challenges: 

Digi Choosday - Embellish it

Papertake Weekly - Anything goes and the option of add torn edges

Inspiration Destination - Anything goes

Crafty Gals - Let's celebrate - birthday

Creative Moments - Anything goes/summer fun

QKR Stampede - Anything goes
Creative Fingers - Anything goes
Graph'it - Inspired by Florals
Sister Act Card Challenge - Anything goes
Simply Create Too - Anything goes
Brown Sugar Challenge - Anything goes
Allsorts Challenge - Inspired by summer
Glitter n Sparkle - Add some flowers
Come and Get It - Feature a creature
Crafty Hazelnut Patterned Paper August Challenge - Anything goes
Emerald Faeries - Favourite colours (one of my favourite colours is purple)
Cards and Scrap - Anything goes
Not Just Cards - Always anything goes
The Corrosive Challenge - Perfectly Purple
Craft Your Passion - Always anything goes

Delicious Doodles "Go On, Be a Devil!" Adults Only Colouring Book

If you go into any bookshops at the moment you will see Adult Colouring Books.  You will see various topics for the books.  The problem I have found when looking at them is that they have images both sides.  This means you can't colour both sides with alcohol pens or watercolours as this will show through.  Some pages even have that awful textured paper like you used to get in children's colouring books I had as a child.  That's all right for anyone using crayons or pencils to colour but certainly not for pens or watercolours.

Teri over at Delicious Doodles has the answer - a PDF downloadable colouring book.  The first one she has brought out is strictly for adults due to the content and its title is called "Go On, Be a Devil!".

In this book you get 8 pages to print and colour (9 if you actually use the front cover) and there is also information on the do's and don'ts of the colouring book.

The book is in the Delicious Doodles Etsy Store for the bargain price of £6.60.

As I said this one is strictly for adults but as you know Teri also designs more "run of the mill" images so I am sure there will be more colouring books to follow.

Here I have coloured in two of the images in from the colouring book with my Promarkers and chalked the background with pearlescent chalks.  The beauty of a printable colouring book is that you can print to whatever size you want.  As my hands and eyes are dodgy I can easily print these images at A5 or bigger.

There has been a lot of talk that colouring can help with health, work or family issues.  For me I know that is true.  When my health isn't good I don't always feel up to making cards but sometimes just getting "lost" in colouring for an hour can help no end.

Why not pop on over to the Delicious Doodles Etsy Store to look at the PDF Downloadable Colouring Book and all the other amazing images by Teri. 

Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps Facebook Challenge August 2015 - Monochromatic

Over at the Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps Facebook Group the challenge this month is "monochromatic".  Normally I would have gone for my favourite colours like purple or teal blue but instead I went for pink.  Growing up as a child I loved red and pink but later on in life I couldn't stand these colours and progressed to liking purple.  I don't tend to use pink or red much in my cardmaking so this card was quite a struggle.

For my card I have used the Ching-Chou Kuik digital stamp called "Snowflake Angel".  Yes she can be used for a Christmas card but I think she's perfect for a winter birthday as well.

I have coloured the image in with lots and lots of different colours of Promarkers.  I then used 6 different pearlescent chalks for the background.

A few Christmases ago my eldest son bought me a paper pad from Tim Holtz.  It took me a while to start using it but use it I did.  Now I've come virtually to the end of the pink papers.  Maybe I can have some more for Christmas?

I have finished the card off with a Joanna Sheen heart die-cut bunting, buttons, ribbon, pearls, Craftwork Cards die-cut sentiment, doily chalked over with the pink pearlescent chalks and some flowers made with a Joanna Sheen flower die set.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Cging-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps Facebook Group Monthly Challenge - Monochromatic

Suzy Bee's Blooming Challenge - Anything goes with a twist of wings or feathers

Crafty Calendar - BINGO board - horizontal row of pink, pearls/gems and ribbon/lace

Di's Digi Designs - Monochromatic

CCC Digi Designs - Pretty in pink

Paper Creator - Dies and/or punches (die used to cut out banners and flowers)

Crafts Galore Encore - Anything goes

A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything goes

Crafty Hazelnut Patterned Paper August Challenge - Anything goes

Glitter n Sparkle - Anything goes

613 Avenue Create - Anything goes with option of happy birthday

A Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything goes

Whoopsi Daisy - Make it girly

Craft Your Passion - Always anything goes

Artistic Inspirations - Anything goes/with a twist of water

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything goes

Digi Choosday - Embellish it (doily, buttons, ribbon, flowers and pearls)

Top Tip Tuesday - Ribbon and pearls - thank you so much for all those involved in the Top Tip Tuesday Challenge Blog.  Sorry to see it's your last challenge but wish you all the best for the future

Papertake Weekly - Anything goes with the optional extra of to add torn edges
Not Just Cards - Anything goes
Inspiration Destination - Anything goes
Crafty Gals Challenge - Let's celebrate - birthday
Creative Moments - Anything goes/summer fun
Word Art Wednesday - Anything goes 

Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps

Here is a weekly reminder to tell you that Ching-Chou Kuik's digital stamps are available from her Etsy Store.  You will see a wonderful array of beautiful images for all occasions and there will be more added on a weekly basis so remember to go and have a look.

Ching-Chou Kuik's Etsy Store can be found at:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/gjzcck

There is an Inspiration and Monthly Challenge Blog.  Here you will find a challenge topic for each month.  

There will be a Monthly Blog Challenge Winner who will get to pick two digital images as their prize from the Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps Etsy Store.  This winner will be picked by Random.org.

There is also a Monthly "Artist's Choice Award" and this means that anyone that has entered the Monthly Blog Challenge using an image from Ching-Chou Kuik's Digital Stamps Etsy Store will be in with a chance of winning 5 digital images of their choice award.  This winner will be picked by Ching-Chou Kuik herself.

The Monthly Blog Challenge Topic for August 2015 is "A Floral Display" eg flowers on your image, flowers on your backing paper, flowers as embellishments or all of these.

As from March 2015 we have a new idea for those that enter the Monthly Blog Challenge in that we will be asking for a Guest Designer to join the Design Team for a month.  For those that enter the March Challenge they will be get to be a Guest Designer for May to give the crafter chance to make a card/creation, those that enter the April Challenge will be a Guest Designer for June etc.  If you would like to be a Guest Designer please put “GDT” after your name.  You will be contacted ASAP if you are successful.  If you don’t get in the first time make sure you keep trying!!

Daily you will also find inspiration for Weeks 1, 2 and 3 from the Design Team members Alica, Anthony, Dianne, Linda, Vannessa and myself.

For Weeks 4 (and 5 if there is one) each day there will be a card/creation showcased that a crafter has entered into the monthly blog challenge or shared on the Facebook Group or entered into the monthly Facebook Challenge.

If you would like to have a look at these images made into cards why don't you join the Ching-Chou Kuik's Digital Stamps Facebook Group.  This Group can be found at:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/721131444589832/

Here you will also find details of the monthly challenge they have. Anyone can also post cards/creations on here that they have made from Ching-Chou Kuik's digital stamps and you will see creations made by the Monthly Challenge Blog Design Team (Alica, Anthony, Dianne, Linda, Vannessa and myself) and the Facebook Design team (Collette, Fernanda and Helen).

Over at Kit and Clowder you will find details of various on-line classes that you can buy and participate in.  Ching-Chou Kuik is one of the sponsors.  At the moment the various classes are as follows:

Alcohol Markers - Skin and Hair Technique Class
Alcohol Markers - Clothing Technique Class
Alcohol Markers - Lightsource Technique Class
Alcohol Markers - All About Animals Class
Alcohol Markers - Creative Confidence Class
Alcohol Markers - Whimsical Class
Watercolours - Distress Ink Class
Pencils - Perfecting Pencils Class 

If you want to find out a bit more about colouring techniques pop on over to Kit and Clowder and have a look.

Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps Newsflash - New Release and Special Introductory Offer for Image

There has been a new release to the Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps Etsy Store:

This image is called "Exotic Night".

To celebrate its arrival in the Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps Etsy Store this image will be at an introductory offer of £2.70 (original price $4) until the end of 9 August 2015.

Hurry on over and grab a bargain and whilst there have a looking at the other amazing images in the Etsy Store.

Ching-Chou Kuik's Digital Stamps Monthly Challenge Blog - Kym's Inspiration Post - Monday 3 August 2015

It is Monday and therefore time for me to show you my Inspiration Post for the Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps Monthly Challenge Blog.

Before I do I'd like to remind you that our challenge this month is "a floral display".  This could be that you use an image with flowers, backing papers with flowers, flowers as embellishments or all of these.  It would be lovely if you could take part.

For my card I have used the Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamp called "Swing in Spring".  I have coloured the image in with my Promarkers and Stickles glitter glue added to the centres of the flowers.  The background around the image is done with some pearlescent chalks for some sparkle.

I decided not to use any bought backing papers or ones generated from CDs etc and instead made my own courtesy of my Spectrum Noir Aqua Markers.

For the background I scribbled various shaded of blue, yellow, pink and green onto a large white tile and spritzed with water.  I then swirled some watercolour card around and returned areas to the tile that hadn't collected colour the first time.  I then flicked some water onto my fingers onto the card, left it a minute and blotted away some of the colour.  I repeated this on some extra watercolour card to make the flowers and sentiment.

I then drew on the tile with a couple of shades of dark pink, spritzed and then used a piece of cut-and-dry foam to colour through my Dutch Doobadoo mesh mask and flower mask.

I recently saw the new Crafter's Companion Inspiration Magazine advertised and I had to have it as it came with a poppy die and stamp.  On the card that I coloured with the Spectrum Noir Aqua Markers I stamped with a red Versafine ink pad and then die-cut the shapes.  In hindsight next time I'd do it the other way by cutting out the shape with the poppy die and then laying this over the inked stamp.  There were a few areas not right so I just snipped them with the scissors.  I then did mountain and valley folds with the poppy layers to add dimension and finished the flowers off with some die-cut greenery and some buttons.

I have finished the card off with a sentiment from the magazine stamps, organza ribbon and a flower shaped button.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Crafting by Designs - Anything goes
Simon Says Challenge - Anything goes
Crafty Gals Corner - Anything goes
Penny's Paper Challenge - Use ribbon or twine
The Crafter's Cafe - Use some buttons
Create and Inspire - Anything goes
Word Art Wednesday - Anything goes
I Love Promarkers - 3 or more layers
Creative Inspirations - Flowers
Fab n Funky - No patterned papers
4 Crafty Chicks - Anything goes
Graph'it - Inspired by florals
Crafts 4 Eternity - Anything goes
Simply Create Too - Anything goes
Crafty Calendar - BINGO board (last vertical column of ribbon/lace, blue and buttons)
Paper Creator - Dies and/or punches (die used to cut our sentiment and a Sheena Douglass poppy die used to make the flowers)
Crafts Galore Encore - Anything goes
A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything goes
The Ribbon Girl - Card Challenge
Glitter n Sparkle - Anything goes
Love to Create - Anything mixed media/creative/inky goes
613 Avenue Create - Anything goes with option of happy birthday
Come and Get It - Fun in the sun
A Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything goes
Craft Your Passion - Always anything goes
Artistic Inspirations - Anything goes/with a twist of water
Spectrum Noir Facebook August Challenge - Anything goes

To a Fabulous Friend

Here is a bright and cheery card I have made for a female friend using a Ching-Chou Kuik image available from Sweet Pea Stamps called "Dragonflies" and is available as a digital stamp.  I have coloured the image in with my Promarkers, added Stickles glitter glue to the wings, added some pearl dots, tore around the image for some texture and inked with a chalk ink pad.

The backing papers I have used are all from my scraps box.  To add some more texture I have put two pieces of card through a Crafter's Companion Textures hessian and distress embossing folder and inked one with my Tim Holtz Squeezed Lemonade distress ink and the other with my Mustard Seed distress ink.

I have then used some pages from books leftover from my bookfolding creations and cut them out with my Tim Holtz Tattered Florals die.  I have inked half of them with my Tim Holtz Spiced Marmalade Distress ink and the others with my Mustard Seed distress ink.  Instead of curling the petals I have used a pair of tweezers and folded each petal in half.  Yes it took a while to do as there were 8 flower layers but it gave a nice spiky effect flower.  I alternated the layers between the orange and yellow and held together with a brad.

I have finished the card off with a Craftwork Cards sentiment, grosgrain ribbon, satin ribbon and some lace.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Sweet Pea Stamps Progressive Challenge Part 1 - Anything goes
Fan-tastic Tuesday - Anything goes with a twist to make it feminine
Word Art Wednesday - Anything goes
Simon Says Challenge - Anything goes
Creative Inspirations - Flowers
Cute Card Thursday - Citrus (orange and lemon)
Brown Sugar Challenge - Animals
The Ribbon Girl - Card Challenge
Glitter n Sparkle - Anything goes
613 Avenue Create - Anything goes with option of happy birthday
Robyn's Fetish - Use kraft card stock on your card
A Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything goes

Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps Facebook Group Monthly Challenge - August 2015 - Monochromatic

Just to let you know that the new challenge on the Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps Facebook Group has gone "live".  

The topic for August 2015 is "monochromatic".

Please pop on over HERE for full details of the challenge.

Gruffies and Guest Challenge Blog - August 2015 - Anything goes or the option of SUMMER FUN

Today it is time for me to show you another card for the Gruffies and Guests Challenge Blog.

 The topic for August 2015 is "anything goes with the option of summer fun".

Don't forget you do have the option of anything goes plus if you do use the optional theme (this month it is "summer fun") you will get 2 chances in the prize draw.

Don't forget to enter the challenge you MUST use a House Mouse, Happy Hoppers or Gruffies image.

This month our sponsor is:

Crafty Individuals.

This is the wonderful prize that Crafty Individuals will be giving to the challenge winner.

To me the idea of summer fun is visits to the seaside with the occasional ice-cream as a treat so I have used this image from my Joanna Sheen Gruffies and Happy Hoppers CD for my cards.  That bunny is certainly enjoying his ice-cream.  Not sure what the mouse is up to?  Maybe he's just exhausted himself by eating the ice-cream and having a snooze in his ice-cream cone.

For my card I have used a topper sheet, sentiments and backing papers from the CD.

I have kept the colour scheme to brown, pink and cream as this reminds me of of Neapolitan ice-cream.

I have finished the card of with some lace, various ribbons, button and a flower made from Tim Holtz's kraft glassine paper and a new flower die with glitter glue and pink seed beads added to the centre of the flower.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

613 Avenue Create - Anything goes with the option of shabby chic

House Mouse and Friends Challenge - House Mouse and Friend or anything goes
Craft Your Passion - Always anything goes

Incy Wincy - Summer lovin
Bunny Zoe's Challenge - Summer breeze
Through the Craft Room Door - Anything goes
Tuesday Throwdown - Summer fun
Inspiration Destination - Anything goes
Simon Says Challenge - Anything goes
Crafty Gals Corner - Anything goes
The Crafter's Cafe - Use some buttons
Word Art Wednesday - Anything goes
Crafty Creations - Four (four different ribbons for me - vanilla grosgrain, strawberry grosgrain, chocolate grosgrain and organza spotty ribbon)
4 Crafty Chicks - Anything goes
Brown Sugar Challenge - Animals
Crafts 4 Eternity - Anything goes
Simply Create Too - Anything goes
Crafts Galore Encore - Anything goes
A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything goes - wishing Lozzy and all the Design Team all the very best with the start of this new challenge blog
Cards and Scrap - Anything goes
Crafty Hazelnut Patterned Paper August Challenge - Anything goes

Delicious Doodles Challenge - August 2015 - White-on-White

Today sees the start of the second challenge over at the Delicious Doodles Challenge Blog.  

Teri's images can now be found in the Delicious Doodles Etsy Shop.

The challenge for August is "white-on-white".

For my card I have used the Delicious Doodles image called "Dragon Dreams". I have coloured the image in with my Promarkers and inked around the edge with Tim Holtz's Stormy Sky distress ink.

For the base card, embossing and die-cuts I have used the same coloured white card so it is all the same.  I have used a Crafter's Companion Texture embossing folder and a Marianne Designs embossing folder/matching die for the backdrop of the image.

I have finished the card off with a stamped sentiment, a Marianne Designs fancy border, die-cut buttons and Joanna Sheen flower die.  All the embellishments, backing paper and card blank have all been edge with a white Stickles glitter glue.  Obviously when taking a photo the Stickles are showing very blue but in reality you can barely see the blue.

I am entering this card into the following challenges: 

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything goes

Digi Choosday - Animals

Fan-tastic Tuesday - Anything goes with a twist to make it feminine

Glitter n Sparkle - Use something beginning with B (bow)

613 Avenue Create - Anything goes with the option of shabby chic
Craft Your Passion - Always anything goes
Inspiration Destination - Anything goes
Crafting by Designs - Anything goes
Simon Says Challenge - Anything goes
Penny's Paper Challenge - Use ribbon or twine
Create and Inspire - Anything goes
I Love Promarkers - 3 or more layers
Crafty Creations - Four (four die-cut flowers)
Top Tip Tuesday - BINGO board (diagonal line of ribbon/twine, sentiment, sparkle (Stickles glitter glue)
Brown Sugar Challenge - Animals
Crafts 4 Eternity - Anything goes
Simply Create Too - Anything goes
A Gem of a Challenge - Animals or birds
Crazy 4 Challenge - Card with the word "happy" on it

Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps Inspiration and Challenge Blog - August 2015 Challenge - A Floral Display

Today sees the start of another challenge over at the Ching-Chou Kuik's Digital Stamps Monthly Challenge Blog.

This month the challenge is "A Floral Display".  This could mean that you are using a floral image/an image with flowers in it, flowery backing papers or flowers as embellishments or all of these.

To take part you do not have to use a Ching-Chou Kuik digital stamp but we all do love to see them being used.

 If you do use a Ching-Chou Kuik image from her Etsy store you can enter the challenge twice, thus giving you two chances of winning.

It also means that you could be "in the running" of winning the Artist Choice Award where Ching-Chou Kuik herself looks at all the entries using an image from her Etsy Store and the winner gets to pick 5 images free from the Etsy Store as their prize.

Here is a sneak peak of my card that you will see on Monday 3 August 2015 to find out all the details about it as that is my inspiration day on the blog.  For my card I have used the Ching-Chou Kuik digital stamp called "Swing in Spring".

It would be lovely if you could play along with the challenge this month.