Ching-Chou Kuik's Digital Stamps Inspiration Post - Friday 18 January 2019

 Here is my weekly 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 "NEW BEGINNINGS" eg New Year, new baby, new home, new job or new crafty stash.

This week the Design Team were challenged to "PEARLS OR GEMS".

Here is my inspiration post with that theme.

 For my "just for you" card I have used the Ching-Chou Kuik image called "Flowing in Blue - Grayscale" (which comes in a set along with Dark Lilies and Hello Spring).  I have coloured the image in with more pastel colours with my Promarkers and and have gone with with the blue/teal colour scheme.

The backing papers are from my stash and I think they are from a Dovecraft set which came with cards, envelopes, flowers, papers, buttons, gems and sentiments.

I have finished the card off with some flowers, buttons, sentiment, gems and pearls.

The Promarkers that I have used are:

Face/skin - Saffron, Spice and Oatmeal
Hair - Mustard, Pastel Yellow and Saffron
Dress/moth - Duck Egg, Aqua and Soft Green
Sky - Blue Pearl.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Ally's Angels - Anything goes
Scrapbook Stamp Society - Anything goes
Lemon Shortbread - Anything goes
A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything goes
Digi Choosday - Anything goes
Through the Craft Room Door - Anything goes
The Paper Shelter - Digital image
Cardz 4 Galz - Dimensional elements (flowers and gems)
As You Like It - Are you favourites pearls or buttons and why? (As you can see from this card I have used both.  I have to say my favourite would be buttons.  I love to add them to centres of flowers for some dimension.  I have about 10 jars of buttons in lots of colours so I have plenty to choose from to compliment my cards!!  If I am posting cards and I still want buttons I have a die-cut that cuts buttons)
World Wide Open Design Team - Anything goes
Crafting with Friends - Anything goes
QKR Stampede - Anything goes
Crafty Catz - Anything goes with the option of blue, green and one other colour
Polkadoodles - Anything goes

Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps - New release

 Today sees the arrival of a set of new images in the Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps Etsy Store: 

 This set of images is called the "Love Mermaid Set".

In this set you will get THREE grayscale images called "Wait for You", "Forever Valentine" and "Intense Red". 

  This set is available in the Etsy Store at a special introductory price of $4.50 (instead of the usual $6).

Hurry as this offer ends on 21 January 2019.

Ching-Chou Kuik's Digital Stamps Inspiration Post - Friday 11 January 2019

  Here is my weekly 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 "NEW BEGINNINGS eg New Year, new baby, new home, new job or new crafty stash".

Here is my inspiration post with that theme.

 For my Happy New Year card I have used the polar bear and rabbit image from the Ching-Chou Kuik digital stamps set called "Sparklers Set".  I have coloured the images in with Promarkers and chalked around the image.  For the sparkly sparklers I have added Stickles glitter glue and finally stamped a sentiment.

The backing papers are from First Edition.

I have finished the card off with some die-cut splodges, gems, some new black lace I bought on one of my trips away last year (well we cannot have too much lace can we especially in different colours?) and ribbon.

The Promarkers that I have used are: 

Polar bear/bunny - Ice Grey 1, Ice Grey 2 and blender pen.
Scarves/hats - - Powder Blue, Denim and Blue Pearl.

I am entering this card into the following challenges: 

Morgan's Artworld - Anything goes

Lemon Shortbread - Anything goes

Crafty Hazelnut Patterned Paper January Challenge - Anything goes
A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything goes
2 Crafty Crazy Critters - Anything goes with critters
Crafts Galore Encore - Anything goes
Love to Scrap - Anything goes
Digi Doodle - Happy anything (Happy New Year)
The Crafty Addicts - Anything goes with the option of its a purrfect day
Word Art Wednesday - Anything goes
Crafting by Designs - Anything goes
A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything goes
Classic Design Team Open Challenge - Anything goes
Crafting with an Attitude - Anything goes
As You Like It - Anything goes
CRAFT - New (Year, baby, job etc)
Cute Card Thursday - Anything goes
Daisy Chain Challenge - Add some sparkle (pearlescent chalks and Stickles glitter glue)
Crafting with Friends - Anything goes
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything goes
613 Avenue Create - Anything goes with the option of watercolouring
Creative Moments - Anything goes
Artistic Inspirations - Anything goes with the option of you are it
Creative Craft Cottage - Winter
Simon Says - Use something new (new black lace)
Make my Monday - Use words or a sentiment
Crafting from the Heart - Anything goes
Pammie's Inky Pinkies - Anything goes
Crafty Sentiments - Anything goes
Digi Choosday - Anything goes
Passion for Promarkers - Dies and/or punches (die-cut splats)
Through the Craft Room Door - Anything goes
I Love Promarkers - Anything goes with the option of something new (card for New Year and new black lace)
Crafty Creations - Anything goes
Fab n Funky - New beginnings (New year)
The Paper Shelter - New beginnings (New year)
Pearly Sparkles - Anything goes
Cute Card Thursday - What's new (New Year and new black lace)
Ally's Angels - Anything goes
QKR Stampede - Anything goes
Crafty Catz - Anything goes with the optional twist of birthdays
Polkadoodles - Anything goes

Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps - New release

  Today sees the arrival of a set of new images in the Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps Etsy Store: 

 This set of images is called the "Hello Love Set".

In this set you will get THREE Grayscale images called One and Only Heart, Key to my Heart and Key of Love.

 This set is available in the Etsy Store at a special introductory price of $4.50 (instead of the usual $6).

Hurry as this offer ends on 11 January 2019.

Calendars for 2019

For fourteen of my work colleagues I decided this year not to make Christmas cards.

Instead I made them all a handmade calendar with a sticky note dispenser.

 It took me a few months to make them all from my own template I made a few years ago.

 The backing papers I have used are all scraps from my scraps folder.

A few of the toppers are from a Hunkydory topper set and the rest are from various Debbi Moore Inspiration Magazines.

The calendars were all then decorated some with Stickles glitter glue, ribbon, doilies and die-cut embellishments.

Overall they were well appreciated.

I am entering these calendars I have made into the following challenges:

The Crafty Addicts - Anything goes with the option of its a purrfect day (two of the calendars were made with Hunkydory cat toppers)

Crafting by Designs - Anything goes

A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything goes

Crafting with an Attitude - Anything goes

As You Like It - Anything goes

Word Art Wednesday - Anything goes

Crafty Catz - Anything goes with the optional twist of food or drink

Happy Birthday Ching-Chou Kuik

Today is a special day for the Ching-Chou Kuik's Design Teams as it is Ching-Chou's birthday.  

In her honour we are having a special mini-challenge on Facebook entitled "HAPPY BIRTHDAY".  Entrants to this challenge need to make something "happy birthday" related and use a Ching-Chou Kuik image.  

With her birthday being on 3rd day we are offering a prize for THREE winners winning THREE single images of their choice from the Etsy Store.

Here is the card that I have made using the Ching-Chou Kuik images "Sea Breeze - Grayscale" (which is in a set along with seven other mermaid images).  I have coloured the image in with Promarkers and distressed around the image with my Tim Holtz distressing tool and inked with a blue Versamagic ink pad.

The backing papers are from Hobbycraft.

I have finished the card off with some die-cut seaweed, pearls, die-cut seahorses, sentiment and a die-cut crab.

The Promarkers that I have used are:

Face/skin - Saffron, Spice and Oatmeal
Hair - Chestnut, Burnt Sienna and Terracotta

Mermaid tail/flowers - Purple and Amethyst

Rocks/dragonflies - Khaki, Pastel Beige, Marine and Duck Egg

Sea - Denim Blue and Pastel Blue.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Penny's Paper - Anything goes
QKR Stampede - Anything goes
Crafty Creations - Anything goes
Morgan's Artworld - Anything goes
Lemon Shortbread - Anything goes
Crafty Hazelnut Patterned Paper January Challenge - Anything goes
A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything goes
Crafts Galore Encore - Anything goes
Love to Craft - Anything goes
Love to Scrap - Anything goes
Digi Doodle - Happy anything (Happy birthday)
Passion for Promarkers - Add a sentiment
Digi Choosday - Anything goes
Through the Craft Room Door - Anything goes
The Crafty Addicts - Anything goes with the option of its a purrfect day
Crafting by Designs - Anything goes
A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything goes
Classic Design Team Open Challenge - Anything goes

Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps January 2019 Facebook Challenge - NEW BEGINNINGS eg New Year, new baby, new home, new job or even new crafty stash

 Well last night we saw the end of 2018 and the start of 2019 has begun.  I hope you all have a happy New Year and I wish you all the very best for 2019.  Let's hope it is a happy, healthy and certainly VERY crafty 2019!!

Today is the start of the Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps Facebook Group Monthly Challenge.

The topic for the Facebook January 2019 challenge is "NEW BEGINNINGS" eg New Year, new baby, new home, new job or even new crafty stash.

Here is my inspiration post with this theme.

 As Design Team Leader for the Blog and Facebook Design Teams I am forever writing notes down ie to do things etc so I thought I would have a notebook especially for this.  The book started off as a turquoise colour and cost me £1.50 from Sainsburys.  I then thought it looked a bit boring so I decided to alter it.

For my altered notebook I have used the image "Papillon" and I have coloured the image in with Promarkers and highlighted areas with my white Posca pens.

 For my book I started off painting with a purple acrylic paint but the coating of the book didn't make it stick.  I should have used my gesso but it has gone thick like a texture paste so I think I need to get some more.  After that I used my Imagination Crafts Platinum Starlight Paint on the book on areas that would be seen ie not the whole of the front and back as they would be decorated.  I then edged the book with my Imagination Crafts Rich Gold Starlight Paint.  I was going to use my Imagination Crafts Dark Orchid Starlight Paint but although it had about an inch high worth of paint in it like the other two it had gone hard as I haven't used in the last year.

I have used various papers from my stash.  The decorated strips I used were from a friend and were light blue so I coloured with my Promarkers.  I then used some new Paperpabe Stamps that I got for Christmas for the wave-type effect and stamped with black Versafine.

I have finished the book off with die-cut words and number, decorative lace, velvet ribbon, die-cut flower, button, embossed panel from a Crafter's Companion 3D embossing folder and then lots of ribbon and fibres to decorate the spiral of the book.

So, for new beginnings, I have decorated this book so I can put everything I need to do for the Design Teams for 2019 in it so it is a NEW BOOK.  I have also used some NEW Paperbabe Stamps.

What will you use for the topic of "New beginnings"?

The Promarkers that I have used are: 

Face/skin - Saffron, Spice and Oatmeal 
Hair - Raw Sienna, Cinnamon and Caramel
Dress - Purple and Plum
Dog - Ice Grey 1, Ice Grey 2 and Ice Grey 3.

I am entering this card into the following challenges: 

Crafty Creations - Anything goes

Penny's Paper - Anything goes

QKR Stampede - Anything goes

Word Art Wednesday - Anything goes
613 Avenue Create - Anything goes
Simon Says - Anything goes
Cute Card Thursday - Anything goes
Morgan's Artworld - Anything goes
Lemon Shortbread - Anything goes
Crafty Hazelnut Patterned Paper January Challenge - Anything goes
A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything goes
2 Crafty Crazy Critters - Anything goes with critters
Crafts Galore Encore - Anything goes
Love to Craft - Anything goes
Love to Scrap - Anything goes
Digi Doodle - Happy anything (this cute image makes me feel happy and happy that my book has been made out of everything purple as it is my favourite colour)
Digi Choosday - Anything goes
Through the Craft Room Door - Anything goes

Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps - New release

 Today sees the arrival of a new image in the Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps Etsy Store: 

  This image is called a "Winter Fox".  In this set you will get a black-and-white image and a partially coloured image by Ching-Chou Kuik herself.

It is available in the Etsy Store for an introductory price of $3.00 instead of $4.00.

Hurry as this offer ends on 5 January 2019.

Special Christmas Card for my Wonderful Husband

Here is the Christmas card for my husband. I have used backing papers, decoupage and sentiments from Debbi Moore Designs Inspiration Magazines and the Journey to Wonderland CD.

I have finished the card off with the sentiments, ribbon, fibres and buttons.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Incy Wincy - Celebrate
The Male Room - The colour blue
Creative Moments - Anything goes with the option of Christmas
Word Art Wednesday - Anything goes
As You Like It - Anything goes
4 Crafty Chicks - Anything goes with the option of bears
Cute Card Thursday - Anything goes
Creatalicious Challenge - Anything goes with the option of Christmas with snowflakes
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything goes

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Here are two cards that I made, one for a friend and one for my aunt and uncle.

Before my birthday I was lucky enough to visit the Crafter's Companion Evesham Store and managed to get this Sheena Douglas stamp and matching die that I had wanted from the previous year.  Needless to say I thought it would be perfect for a Christmas card.

 I watercoloured the houses, lamps and trees in pots with my Spectrum Noir Aqua Pens.  I haven't done watercolouring for some time but although I didn't feel well I managed to get these images coloured.

I added some glitter and white Flowersoft to the roof of the house, roof of the porch and then added highlights to the fence, trees in pots and the ground.

I have used various The Works backing papers for the cards.

I have finished the cards off with some die-cut greenery, poinsettia flowers from Hobbycraft and a stamped sentiment. I
 I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Stamping Sensations - Winter sparkle
Incy Wincy - Celebrate
Digi Choosday - Anything goes
Through the Craft Room Door - Anything goes
Word Art Wednesday - Anything goes
Lemon Shortbread - Anything goes
The Paper Shelter - Anything goes
As You Like It - Anything goes
4 Crafty Chicks - Anything goes with the option of bears
Cute Card Thursday - Anything goes
QKR Stampede - Anything goes
Polkadoodles - Anything goes

Selection of Christmas Cards

Here are a selection of Christmas cards I have made.  I like to colour in images for cards but I also loveeeeeeeeee doing decoupage.

 This first card is using an image from a La Pashe CD and is for someone who loves riding on trains and trainspotting.

 These are two A5 cards using decoupage sheets from a La Pashe CD.

 A lot of people like nativity cards so here are three that I have made from a La Pashe CD.

 Isn't this Santa nice and jolly?  I love the robin card as well.  Both of these image are from a La Pashe CD.

 More cards made from a La Pashe CD.

 A few years back now I got a paper pad from Katy Sue Designs and these are some of the cards I have made with the images.

 I kept these cards quite clean-and-simple (CAS) as they needed to be posted.

Well these are nearly all the cards I made for Christmas.  Just a few more to show and then it's the start of making cards throughout the year ready for Christmas 2019.  Making some Christmas cards each month makes life a lot easier.

I am entering these cards into the following challenges:

Alphabet Challenge - T is for trees (the last 3 lots of cards above fit this challenge)

Crafty Gals Corner - Anything goes

Creative Moments - Anything goes with the option of Christmas

Word Art Wednesday - Anything goes

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

 Well I have finished work now until Friday.

I would just like to wish all the followers of my blog a Merry Christmas 

 and a Happy New Year.

I hope 2019 is a happy, healthy and certainly a VERY crafty year for us all.

I will be back with posts on my blog in the new year.

Take care everyone.

Ching-Chou Kuik's Digital Stamps Inspiration Post - Friday 21 December 2018

 Here is my weekly 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 "BUTTERFLIES/INSECTS".

This week for the last inspiration post for 2018 the Design Team were challenged to "ANYTHING BUT A CARD" by Design Team Member Aurora.

Here is my inspiration post with that theme.

 For my decorated photo frame that my son and his partner brought me back from Malta I have used the Ching-Chou Kuik image called "Autumn Sea" (this is available in a set called "Beautiful Tails Mermaids" and comes with Intense Red, Jewellery Keeper, Flowing Crimson and Sunset Jasmine".  I have coloured the image in with Promarkers, cut the image to fit inside the frame and then used various stencils and inks to create some depth around the image.  I then used a die-cut to create some seaweed.

The frame came with some shells on it but I have stuck on more along with a die-cut seahorse and a calendar tab so this frame can sit on my craft desk next year.  

The Promarkers that I have used are: 
Face/skin - Saffron, Spice and Oatmeal 
Hair - Coral, Dusky Pink, Sandstone and Caramel 
Mermaid's top/tail - Mint Green, Soft Green and Pastel Green
Sky - Blue Pearl

Sand/coral/sun - Buttercup, Saffron, Primrose, Coral, Cinnamon.

I am entering this decorate frame into the following challenges: 

A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything goes

World Wide Open Design Team - Anything goes
Pammie's Inky Pinkies - Anything goes

Incy Wincy - Celebrate
Digi Choosday - Anything goes
Through the Craft Room Door - Anything goes
Crafty Gals Corner - Anything goes
Creative Moments - Anything goes with the option of Christmas
Lemon Shortbread - Anything goes
Moving Along with the Times - Anything but a card
As You Like It - Anything goes
4 Crafty Chicks - Anything goes with the option of bears
Cute Card Thursday - Anything goes
QKR Stampede - Anything goes
Polkadoodles - Anything goes

Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps - New release

 Today sees the arrival of a new image in the Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps Etsy Store: 

  This image is called a "Winter Cuddle".  In this set you will get a black-and-white image and a partially coloured image by Ching-Chou Kuik herself.

It is available in the Etsy Store for an introductory price of $3.00 instead of $4.00. 

 There is also a Winter Sale on in the Etsy Store.

If you use the code "WINTER2018" you will get 25% of all digital items in the store after a spend of $5 or more.

Hurry as this offer ends on 25 December 2018.