Saturday 30 November 2013

November Challenge Winter Blues

Wow!!!! All the DT have been amazed at the wonderful projects 
 you have all created for us over the last month. 
You are totally amazing!

Don't forget to check back on the 6th November for our 
Winner & Top 3 Post.

Now on to this months challenge.
Our theme this time is "Winter Blues"
You can interpret that any way you like, the choice is yours!
We are lucky to be sponsored by the lovely Lindsay at

http://www.lejdesigns.co.uk/
The prize is 4 images of the winners choice.
Please remember to check out the rules for the challenge before you enter.

So here are a couple of cards that I made to get the inspiration going - I loved working with Lindsay's wonderful images! I challenged myself to only use blue.... These are the cards I wanted to share with you...



We would love to see what you create!
Remember to come back throughout the month to see what the Design Team have been creating.

Happy crafting

xXxNikki & The Crafting Cafe TeamxXx

Thursday 28 November 2013

Winter Snow Blues

'Winter Snow Blues' by Neil Burley

I chose 'Snowflake 1' from our lovely sponsor LEJ Designs for the centrepiece of my 'Winter Blues' card this month. I converted the artwork to a cut file for my new Silhouette Cameo electronic cutter and cut various sizes of the snowflake from my favourite card for ProMarkers (Ryman's bright white coated card 200gsm). Tips for conversion and cutting are below.

I added some ProMarker colour to start off my blues, using Powder Blue, and layering it several times along edges. For some of the flakes, I misted with Cosmic Shimmer Pearl Mist, another I used Rock Candy Distress Glitter (on spray glue) and another I used Ranger Antique Frosted Crystal embossing powder. All of them had a similar sparkly finish, so it's personal preference at the end of the day!

For the background I used a square of watercolour paper and then added Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink using a blending tool, grading it to a corner. I dried it and then added another layer to deepen the shadows in the bottom right before finally adding a small amount of Dusty Concord Distress Ink at the corner to darken it further. I dried it off again and then spritzed with Cosmic Shimmer French Navy Mist to add a bit of bling.

After matting it all together, I added some self-adhesive clear crystals and coloured them in with French Navy and Azure ProMarkers. Peel-off markers will work just as well.


Thursday 21 November 2013

Winter Blues - Dawn

Hi, Dawn here with my DT inspiration card for our Winter Blues Challenge
The image I have used  is Unhappy Angel, just
one of the fab images from Lindsay our lovely sponsor
Don't forget to play along if you haven't already!
More about my card here


Tuesday 19 November 2013

Winter Blues by Mags

Hi Folks

Mags here to share a little inspiration for our current challenge which is - Winter Blues.
Our sponsor this month is LEJ Designs and the winner will receive 4 free digi images.

Here is my inspiration project using a great image from our sponsor.


The image was coloured with promarkers and matted onto blue cardstock.  I added some liquid pearls around the image to add some interest.  The blue background paper was in my stash and I added an embossed panel using my snowflakes embossing folder.  The snowflake is a spellbinders die and I glittered it up for added sparkle.  A couple of little trees and some ribbon finished the card.

You have until the end of the month to link up your entries and look out for more inspiration from the design team throughout the rest of the month.  Follow the link here to enter the challenge.

Bye for now
xx

Saturday 16 November 2013

Winter Blues - by Claire

Hi Everyone

It's my turn , Claire, to share a project today for the current challenge - Winter Blues!

This month we are sponsored by LEJ Designs who are offering 4 digis to the winner!

So here is my project created with an image from our sponsor:

I created my card by starting with the background using stamps by Lindsay Mason stamped in cocoa memento ink and coloured with Derwent Inktense pencils and watercoloured.  The sentiment was also stamped in cocoa memento and is from Paperartsy.  Next I printed the snowman out twice, I coloured him using the Inktense pencils also and watercoloured him.  Then I cut one image out whole and the second image I cut out only his hat and scarf and layered them up using foam pads.  I tore a piece of white card to create a hill for him to stand on and inked along it's edge with tumbled glass distress ink for definition.  I also added the fence posts and squirrel to this torn card from the same Lindsay Mason set.  I added silver glamour dust to just about everything that snow might land on using a quickie glue pen.  Then I inked around the edges of the card using the tumbled glass distress again.  To finish I mounted my piece onto navy cardstock before adding to a 6x6 scalloped card blank.

Do pop back throughout the month to see what my teamies have created for the Winter Blues theme!

To link up your own Winter Blues project please click *HERE*

Thanks for stopping by today, feel free to visit my personal blog *HERE* if you fancy a nosey!

Claire x

Wednesday 13 November 2013

Winter Blues by Amanda

Hi everyone, Amanda here with my inspiration card for this month's "Winter Blues" challenge.  Our November sponsor is the lovely Lindsay at LEJ Designs, and I chose her pretty Snowy Haven image for my project.

I've gone for a night-time scene and, although it turns out I'm not Thomas Kinkade after all, I think it's quite a cosy looking cottage.  I hope you like it!  For more info about my card, please visit my blog here.


Wednesday 6 November 2013

October Challenge Winner, Top 3 & New DT Members

Hi di hi all!
Firstly I have to say we were astounded by the number of entries in our 
October - Anything Goes challenge
Thanks so much for joining us & I hope you can play again this month!
The DT have been visiting your blogs & scratching their heads over who to 
choose as their Top 3 this time! You're such a talented lot!
Anyhoo! 
Mr Random.org had the honour of choosing our winner & he chose

#17 Lozzy who made this little unusual card!

Great work Lozzy,
can you email us at craftingcafe@gmail.com to claim your prize.
Don't forget to collect your winners badge & wear it on your blog!

Winner's badge

Now, after much deliberation, we decided to let Mr Random.org choose
 the Top 3 too! It was just way too difficult for us to decide!
So here they are!

# 29 Shell Klieber with her fab frame

# 79 Jennifer Scull with her super little pocket card

#188 Sarah with her sweet CAS card

Well done everyone, give yourselves a big pat on the back
& collect your Top 3 badge below!

Top 3 Badge

Now on to our new DT Members. Thank you to all who applied,
we would have loved to offer everyone a place but sadly we just can't!
Check below to see who we have chosen to join our team this time.

Beverley Cole
Louise Moore
Cheryl Sawyer
Erin Bently
Emma (The Sparkly Fairy)
Janet
Sammy
Amy A
Hath Thi
Samantha K

Congratulations to you all!
Check your in-boxes ladies, you should already have a message from
Nikki, our lovely boss lady! If it's not there check your spam folder
& if it's not there, send us an email to
craftingcafe@gmail.com
to let us know if you'd still like to join us!

Thanks again to all who played along in October &
I hope you can play again this month in our
Winter Blues Challenge


Tuesday 5 November 2013

Winter Blues



Hi Marlene here,
This month at The Crafting Cafe we were lucky enough to have digi stamps from LEJ Designs.
I chose this sweet digi called Reindeer Baby, I coloured it with my Promarkers and Flexmarkers.
then I mounted it onto Co-ordinations Blue card. The papers are from LOTV, I added two Pine Trees, which I used a Marianne Die, then finished it off with LIquid Pearls and ribbon.