Challenge Winners - Count Me In!

Hi there everyone and welcome to the beginning of a new week. Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to enter our 'Count Me In!' challenge. There were lots of wonderful examples of ways to include numbers in projects from our entrants.

This time we've chosen Jess (Two Mad Dahlias) as our overall winner. She came up with such a clever idea for framing her delightful vintage floral dog house, cheerfully inhabited by Bingo. Congratulations Jess on being our favourite for the 'Count Me In!' challenge and winning the opportunity to be a Guest Designer here at Frilly and Funkie for a future challenge.

And now for the three winners of our Frilly and Funkie Top 3 Badges for this challenge; the choices, in numerical order, are... #3 Harriet, #6 Eszter, and #10 Donna (Inkysplatters)!!! Please email Linda at thefunkiejunkie@gmail.com for the codes for the Top 3 badges so that you can display them proudly on your blog.

And finally Random.org has chosen a lucky winner for the $25 gift certificate to The Funkie Junkie Boutique. Our congratulations this time go to #18 Julia Aston!

A big thanks from the Frilly and Funkie team to everyone who took part in this challenge and congratulations again to our winners. Once again, please email Linda at thefunkiejunkie@gmail.com for the codes for the winner's badge and to give us your email address for the Guest Designer details (Jess), for the Top 3 badges (Harriet, Eszter and Donna) and for the gift certificate details (Julia).

Our current challenge, 'April Showers' runs through Tuesday, April 25th, with the Funkie side of the team sharing their inspiration this coming Wednesday. We hope to see you entering this time around so that you too can be in with a chance to win.

Have a great week everyone!

Friday Focus - Prima Papers and Flowers

It is Cec here and I am presenting the Friday Focus segment today on Prima papers* and flowers that are available from The Funkie Junkie Boutique.

The prices in the shop are normally 20% off list but for the next two weeks these select products will be our Friday Focus special and you can get an additional 15% off but act quickly because this special only runs through through April 27th.

I have made a couple of cards with the new paper collections and I don't have a lot of process photos for you because I decided to make shabby cards that were easy to construct but I will describe how I made each one.

The first card features the Rose Quartz 6"x6" pad.

1. Prepared the card blank (this is a 6"x6" card).
2. Cut two papers making one slightly smaller than the other and distressed the edges.

Tip:  If you are anything like me, you never want to waste your papers, especially if they are double-sided like these are so what I did was cut a big square from the middle of the background paper and saved it for later since I knew I was adding a panel on top of it.

3. Used the Prima Crochet Doily die and some scrap black card stock to cut the doily.

Tip:  I recommend that you put a piece of wax paper between your card stock to ensure that you can remove the cut from the die since it is so intricate.  I don't have a heavy duty machine so in order for the pieces to come out easily I also taped everything down, made multiple passes through my machine and rotated it part way through.

4. Made some leaves using scraps of white card stock and a Tim Holtz die called Garden Greens.
5. Shaped the leaves with a large embossing tool and inked the edges with some Black Soot Distress Ink.
6. Chose a sentiment from the Tim Holtz Big Chat stickers and inked the edges.
7. Printed the image, fussy cut it and distressed the edges. (The vintage image came from the internet and is an actress from the late 1800s by the name of Lily Elise.)

Now it was time to put the card together.

8. Added the largest paper to the blank first and then added the floral panel.
9. Added the doily followed by the image.
10. Adhered some black gem flourishes next and then the tailored bow.
11. Added the flowers and tucked the leaves underneath them.
12. Glued the sentiment sticker on.

Easy, peasy and so pretty.

This next card was made with the Wild and Free 6"x6" Collection and was just as easy to make.

This time I decided to tear and distress some of the papers to create layers.

1. Added a main panel to a card blank.
2. Tore and distressed a variety of paper pieces.
3. Added the embellishments starting with a feather.
4. Next added the big Prima flower and tucked some leaves cut with the Tim Holtz die underneath.
5. Added a copper coloured button from my stash (I just cut the shank off first).
6. Punched little flowers from some of the background paper and topped them with a couple of the little Prima flowers that coordinate with the collection.
7. Created a loopy bow from coloured twine (I used strands from some fabric that had frayed) and tucked it under the big flower.

Now you could add all manner of mixed media to these cards but I decided to let the papers shine through on their own.  I hope I have inspired you enough that you will pop over to The Funkie Junkie Boutique and pick up some Prima papers and flowers to play with.

*Friday Focus sale does not apply to the new pre-order St. Tropez Collection, a limited edition to be released in May.  

Guest Designer - Alison Bomber

It is time to introduce our Guest Designer for the April's Showers challenge.  Please say hello and give a warm welcome to Alison Bomber (a.k.a. Butterfly) of Words and Pictures.  Alison was the Design Team's top pick from the Welcome Spring challenge.

Playing with stamps, inks, paints and textures still feels like a fairly new thing to me - my creativity has always revolved around words and theatre - but it has become as necessary as breathing over the last few years. I love the experimentation, the learning curve, the discoveries. I almost always work with textures and layers, and with words and ideas too. It's a joy to be invited to guest here at Frilly and Funkie - and I've got a surprisingly simple creation (for me!) to share with you for Suzz's lovely challenge theme.

I love those April days when you have blue skies, sunshine, and gentle showers all intermingling. It seems to me the flowers and trees always look their happiest at this time of year, so my tag is playing with all those elements.

There are some brightly coloured flowers and butterflies (a Calico Craft Part altered mainly with DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics) enjoying the warmth, light, and blue skies..

... just as the gentle shower begins to fall (Glossy Accents raindrops against a Distress Ink and PaperArtsy Fresco Crackle sky), refreshing the earth with moisture. The sentiment, a favourite Tim Holtz phrase of mine, is clear-embossed too for that glistening look of water in sunlight. Do come over and visit Words and Pictures if you'd like to see some more details.

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After you check out the details of Alison's lovely tag, come on back and share your April's Shower project. There is lots of time as the challenge is open until 11:55 pm EST on April 25th and you can find it here.

Saturday Step by Step - Travel Postcard

Hello friends and welcome, Zoe here and I'm delighted to be hosting this Saturday step by step. This time I've cooked up a travel inspired card, incorporating the current challenge theme "Count Me In" with a dash of numbers and the Friday Focus with a sprinkle of Emerald Creek embossing powders. Here's the recipe...

(click on each set of images for a closer look)

Step 1: Die cut a globe from manila heavystock using the Tim Holtz thinlits globe die.
Step 2: Blend in vintage photo distress oxide to the land portions of the globe.
Step 3: Press a distress embossing in pad over the globe and then cover with Emerald Creek fractured ice embossing powder.
Step 4: Melt the powder with a heat tool and then check out the cool reaction between distress oxide and fractured ice embossing powder...

When the powder melts it reacts with the distress oxide and you get this incredible marbled liquid!

Step 5: Blend faded jeans distress oxide into manila heavystock with a mini blending tool.
Step 6: Blend iced spruce distress oxide lightly over the top.
Step 7: Blend vintage photo distress oxide into the edges.
Step 8: Give a generous spritz with water using a distress sprayer bottle. Dry with a heat tool.

Step 9: Rub vintage photo distress oxide onto a non stick craft mat and spritz with water so that droplets form.
Step 10: Take the heavystock background and gently tap parts over the droplets. Dry with a heat tool.
Step 11: Die cut a stitched frame from manila heavystock.
Step 12: Tap distress embossing ink over the frame and cover with hammered metal embossing powder by Emerald Creek. Melt with a heat tool.

Step 13: Run a tiny piece of scor-tape over the edges of the heavystock background and rip off to create small tears.
Step 14: Blend vintage photo distress ink over the tears and mount onto metallic kraft stock. Sand the edges and blend with vintage photo distress ink as before.
Step 15: Trim the edge of the globe die cut. Use a guillotine or craft knife as a paper trimmer may snag on the delicate pieces of the die cut.
Step 16: Tuck the globe slightly under the frame and adhere with glossy accents.

Step 17: Sand some idea-ology classic kraft stock, blend in a little vintage photo distress ink and mount to a card.
Step 18: Trim the edge of an industrious border sticker and adhere to the top of the black kraft stock.
Step 19: Sand the edge of a small talk sticker and blend in vintage photo distress ink.
Step 20: Tie natural cotton string around a mini fastener.

Step 21: Pierce holes in the globe and push the mini fastener through. Push a second mini fastener into the globe and run the string from the first fastener to the second and wrap around once, then push the mini fastener down fully and secure at the back. Repeat with a third mini fastener, this time tying a knot and then pushing through the globe and securing. You could use this to indicate a specific route for a holiday or trip.

Step 22:  Paint parts of an idea-ology adornment airplane with ruby heavy body paint by Dina Wakley. When almost dry, rub some of the paint off.

Step 23: Adhere the airplane to the edge of the frame with glossy accents. Add numbers to the inside of the globe with idea-ology special delivery remnant rubs. Again you could use numbers that are memorable to a trip or mark the date.

Step 24: To create the postcard header, rub remnant rubs from the special delivery set onto white cardstock, fussy cut and adhere with scor-tape.

Step 25: Adhere the small talk sticker to the footer of the card. Cover with a layer of glossy accents and set aside to air dry.

I hope you have enjoyed the step by step. Be sure to pop over and take a look at the current "COUNT ME IN" challenge and Friday Focus. 

Have a great weekend.

Zoe

Sizzix® Thinlits™ Die - Globe by Tim Holtz®	Sizzix Thinlits Die Set - Stitched Rectangles by Tim Holtz 661189	Emerald Creek Alure Powders - Fractured Ice	Emerald Creek Alure Powders - Hammered Metal	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Embossing Ink Pad
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Pad - Faded Jeans	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Pad - Iced Spruce	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Pad - Vintage Photo	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Vintage Photo	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Sprayer
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Adornments Souvenir	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Remnant Rubs Special Delivery	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Small Talk	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Industrious Stickers - Borders	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Mini Fasteners
TIm Holtz Distress Mixed Media Heavystock TDA53835	Tim Holtz ideaology Metallic Kraft Stock TH93586	Tim Holtz Idea-ology 8 x 8 Classic Kraft Stock	DINA WAKLEY HEAVY BODY PAINT - Ruby 2 OZ TUBE	Ranger Inkssentials Glossy Accents
Scor-Pal Scor-Tape 1/8" x 27 Yards	Ranger Inkssentials Mini Ink Blending Tool - With 4 Blending Foams	Tim Holtz Ranger Idea-ology Sanding Grip	Tim Holtz Tonic Studios Mini Scissors	Tonic Guillotine Comfort Paper Trimmer 8.5" By Tim Holtz 160E

Count Me In!

Hi everyone and welcome! Jenny here as your host for the latest Frilly and Funkie challenge in 2017. Numbers are a huge part of our everyday lives so it is no surprise they are also often included in our creative ones too. For this challenge you need to use your choice of numbers to add that special 'sum-thing' to your vintage or shabby chic project. Make them count as part of the design, not just a last minute addition!

The team will choose their top four picks with the winner being invited to join us in a Guest DT spot here at Frilly and Funkie and the next three will receive badges to display on their blogs. Everyone who enters and follows the rules will be entered into the draw to have the chance to win a $25 spending spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique.

The guidelines for entering are simple; create a new vintage or shabby chic project following the challenge theme, link it below to your post (not just your blog) and also include a link back to this challenge in your post. You can combine our challenge with up to 10 challenges (including this one) to be in with a chance of winning. If you are entering through a public forum (such as Instagram) you'll need to include the words Frilly and Funkie Challenge. Also, please be sure to turn off your Word Verification so our Design Team can leave comments on your blogs. Make sure you follow these rules as unfortunately we have had to eliminate entrants from the prize draws in the past.

We begin the second week of this challenge with some amazing inspiration from the Funkie side of the Design Team;

Suzanne Czosek - Suzz's Stamping Spot 

Jenny Marples - Pushing The Right Buttons

Zoe Hillman - iGirlZoe

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WEEK ONE

Let's start this first week with some wonderful inspiration from the Frilly side of the Design Team;

Kathy Clement - Kathy by Design

Nancy Dynes - Tattered Treasures

Linda Coughlin - The Funkie Junkie

So now it's your turn. You have until Tuesday, April 11th to get your thinking caps on and create a numerical project. We can't wait to see what you make! Don't forget to check back tomorrow to see what our latest Guest Designer has created for this challenge, and in one week for more inspiration from the Funkie side of the Design Team.

Take care of yourselves and have fun!

Jenny xxx