Pile It On! Challenge - Use Metal

This week's Pile It On! Challenge is to use:

'Metal'

Our sponsor for this challenge is Add a Little Dazzle:

Prize a $25 Gift Certificate!

The DT were each sent some gorgeous metal sheets to play with by our generous sponsor...Add a Little Dazzle...I used mine to make a piece of wall art. I used my Memory Box 'Darla Butterfly' to cut shapes from the sheets of metal, then embossed them using an assortment of Cuttlebug and Craft Concepts folders. I mounted the butterflies on to a piece of white card using 3D foam pads, then placed it in a shadow box (from The Range).

Apologies for the reflections on the glass...this was really tricky to photograph! 

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - Use Metal
• 4 Crafty Chicks - No Stamping
• Challenges 4 Everybody - Anything Goes
• Crafting for All Seasons - Things with Wings
• Craftitude - Use a Die
• Crafty Catz - Embossing
• Crafty Girls - Anything Goes
• Incy Wincy - Embossing & Bling
• Dream Valley - Things with Wings
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
• Whimsy Inspires - Two or More Die Cuts

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the Pile It On! Challenge.

I want to ride my bicycle...

I inked up some of my (many) bicycle stamps to create a simple masculine card...these ones are a Hero Arts cling set simply called 'Bicycles'. I used shades of Distress Inks (Mowed Lawn, Brushed Corduroy & Spiced Marmalade), a sentiment stamp from a set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous called 'Going Somewhere', then simply doodled a border using a black gel pen.

Challenges for this card:

• CAS on Sunday - Masculine
• Crafty Creations - Keep It Simple
• Creative Knockouts - No Square Cards
• Less is More - Masculine

While I has my bicycle stamps and Distress Inks out...I used them to create a piece of wall art:

I used the same stamps as on the card above, another Hero Arts one ('Classic Bike') and a couple from a set by Avery Elle called 'Roll With It'...I had to play around a little bit with layout to get them to fit on my A4 card, but I'm pleased with the end result. The frame is from The Range.

This is going to go on the wall in my new craft space...I'm going to be sharing it with my flatmate, who will be using it as an office for his business...he runs cycling training courses...sells bikes...and generally eats, sleeps & breathes all things bike...so that explains my choice of images!

I will be making some others...but thought I'd start with this one as a sweetener...I'm not sure he realises the full extent of my craft stash! I'm usually only a weekend crafter (except during the school holidays...I'm a music teacher) and all of my stash is currently stored in boxes in a cupboard on the landing...I'm hoping that if I have easier access to my stash, and a dedicated space for crafting, that I might be able to sneak some in during the week!

Right now the room is completely empty...our other flatmate moved out last weekend...we have a trip to Ikea planned to pick up some pieces of furniture, and various bits'n'pieces for storage, so hopefully it won't be too long before it will be usable. I'm so excited about finally having a dedicated place to craft (even if I'm having to share it!)...up until now it's mainly been on the floor in my room!

Challenges for my stamped bicycle artwork:

• All Crafts Challenge - Anything but a Card
• Challenges 4 Everybody - Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
• One Crazy Stamper - Anything Goes
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

The Pink Elephant Challenge #1

Whilst blog-hopping on Sunday, I discovered a fab new challenge blog, called The Pink Elephant. The design team are a talented bunch, and with a new challenge every Monday, it's definitely worth a look if you haven't already seen it. The theme for their first challenge is a colour scheme of 'Pink, Black and White', which is a combination I seem to be using a lot lately.
For my card, I've used a fab Whipper Snapper stamp called '"Moo"d Swing' - I just love the expression on this cows face! The spotty paper is by Doodlebug, and the sentiment stamp is by Autumn Leaves (from a set called 'Talking Circles'). Inspired by the Colour Create challenge this week, I've had another go at making another DIY flower. This time I used my scalloped circle Nesties (the three smallest ones) to cut shapes from pink and white mulberry paper, then cut 'petals' with scissors. I then embossed them using my Cuttlebug 'Textile' folder, shaped the petals with my fingers, and added a touch of glitter glue to the tips of the petals, before attaching it to my card with a jewelled brad from The Range.

I think I must be getting forgetful in my old age...I made this card on Sunday night, along with the two I uploaded yesterday, but forgot to photograph it with the others...I think I thought I'd already put it on here...oh well, at least I've remembered to do it before the challenge is over!