Welcome to Quirky Crafts Challenges

Welcome to Quirky Crafts Challenges the place where any craft project is allowed.

We're a small design team with big inspiration.

On the first Sunday of the month, at 6pm UK time, we will set a new challenge which will close on the 28th of that month at midday. The DT will pick their top three favourites and you could win a prize and join us as a Guest Designer. Winners are posted on the first Sunday in the month (midday usually) before the new challenge - don't forget to come and check if you are a winner.
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Sunday 22 December 2013

Challenge #25 Winners of Christmas Treasure

This challenge is the last one for 2013, and we would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and to thank everybody who has entered our challenges, guest Designers, the Design Team, our lovely followers, and most of all - all of our generous sponsors this year!

Now for the Christmas Treasure challenge, where we asked you to use something special to you and tell us why it was special.
We were sponsored by the lovely Regina Easter of:

.
The team were provided with some great images to show you and we all enjoyed this challenge very much, and sharing our treasures with you.

We loved looking at all of your treasure, and hearing why it was special, you all did so well but in the end there can only be three winners. So the team has voted and here are our favourite three entries and final winners for this year:

In first place with a gorgeous card is:
 Yogi, 
who used some very expensive special plastic (I will be looking out for some of this).
Congratulations Yogi, you have won 3 sets of your choice from The Cutting Cafe.

Second place goes to:
who used some special papers she has been hoarding for a long time on her very pretty card.
Congratulations Connie, you have won two sets of your choice from The Cutting Cafe.

and in Third place with  we have:
who decorated her special bird house which she also has hoarded for a long time!
Congratulations Rea, you have won one set of your choice from The Cutting Cafe.

All of you will also receive a personalized winner's badge, and we would love you to join us as Guest Designers in 2014! Please contact me (using the link in the sidebar) who will arrange for you to collect your prizes, and send your badges, and don't forget to say if you can be Guest Designer!

 Don't forget to come back on January 5th 2014 to find out about our first challenge of the year!


Have Fun - The Quirky Crafts Challenge Design Team.

Sunday 15 December 2013

Challenge #25 Reminder - Christmas Treasure (use a very special item on your Christmas make)

This is your reminder that you have until Saturday midday (UK time) to enter the challenge, and the challenge is all about Christmas projects with a twist! The twist is you must use your treasure (and you must tell us what it is and why it is special to you)!

Our very generous sponsor is:
.
The prizes for our top three favourite entries are:
1st prize: three sets or images of your choice
2nd prize: two sets or images of your choice
3rd prize: one set or image of your choice

See the post below for full details and to enter the challenge.

We have some more great projects from the team to inspire you:


Here's my make for this weeks reminder. When we were deciding this challenge a few months back, it was going to be to use up those papers and other things you've had for ages, because they are just too special. I'd already decided to use the Pink Petticoat papers (Large SnowFlakes) which I bought at the end of last year (2011/2012) and never used, along with the lilac and silver ribbon.
Then we decided on something more, a 'real treasure' so I've picked my one and only snowflake charm that's been waiting for years to be used and the pearls. These pearls are the last strand I have left from my daughter's wedding five years ago, so they are very special as they remind me of a wonderful day, in October 2008. I've used the Noel from Christmas in a Square from our sponsors and because I wanted to keep this monotone, I coloured the Noel in the same colour as the papers. I've added one silver corner peel off plus Crystal Stickles glitter and purple gems.

My treasure for this reminder: ribbon and buttons. These, I got two years ago, was a gift from my friend Laura Carazo and I've kept it all this time with special affection.

This week I worked on a Christmas layout, using some buttons and ribbon that had kept for two years, plus I used the file  Christmas in a Square from our sponsor The Cutting CafĂ©.

I really loved this Christmas in a  square sentiment set from our sponsor The Cutting Cafe. For this reminder I used "From our home to yours" to make this quilt card. Here I used two of my treasures: I`m a Graphic 45 addict, I love their paper collections, I buy their paper and try not to use it (LOL). So for this card I used a little bit of my Graphic 45 paper. Also I used this rustic green fiber that I love.

I've been putting up my gorgeous Christmas decorations this week, and I had an idea to make my own, to decorate a twig tree that I'd recently bought.
All of the decorations on this tree, I have made, and it really felt like Christmas was here, especially while singing to Christmas songs, whilst crafting.
I thought the Christmas Sentiment Shapes from The Cutting Cafe would be ideal to make up as tree decorations.... 

I chose Christmassy colours for each one, and added some contrasting stickles and gems...
The reason I chose to do these for this task, is because I have used all of my favourite papers, which I have been storing away (as you do...!)
Hope you enjoy, Merry Christmas all..x


I found some very special mini light bulb embellishments deep within my biggest Christmas stash box, and I haven't used them so far because I don't think you can get them now and I really love them! The metallic card printed with Love at Christmas is also quite special because I won it recently and only have one sheet.
I used Christmas Stocking Laundry from The Cutting Cafe on my card, I love this image.


To enter the challenge link your project HERE

Have Fun - The Quirky Crafts Challenge Design Team.



Sunday 8 December 2013

Challenge #25 Christmas and use your treasure (must use a special item and tell us about it - see details below)

It is challenge time again, and it is getting so close to Christmas, so we want to see Christmas projects with a twist! The twist is you must use your treasure (and you must tell us what it is and why it is special to you)!

(If you would like to see who won the last challenge click HERE or scroll down to the next post.)

Your treasure could be a very special keepsake that you have had hidden away safe, like Konica's star, and you can put it onto a project that you will keep and display every Christmas, or your treasure could be a very special item in your stash that you kept for years and didn't want to use because you love it! You can make something for a very special person to receive, or something you will keep yourself. Your treasure could be that last bit of expensive paper, or ribbon, or something else that has nearly run out and you were keeping the last bit!

You must tell us what your treasured item is, and why it is so special, it is not enough to say this is special - why is it special to you?

This must also be a Christmas project, so think Christmas and treasure! (Here is a bit of Nat King Cole from Christmas Treasures Vol 2)



Our very generous sponsor is:
The Cutting Cafe
.

The prizes for our top three favourite entries are:

1st prize: three sets or images of your choice
2nd prize: two sets or images of your choice
3rd prize: one set or image of your choice

If you have bought from the Cutting Cafe you will know that a set of images contains lots of images and sentiments in different sizes in PDF format to make it easy just to print the size you require.
The files and images the team are using today are:
Christmas in a Square (Printables)
Christmas Sentiment Shapes (Cutting files and Printables)
Christmas Stocking Laundry  (Single printable)
Christmas Elisha Jean and friends (Printables)

We have some wonderful inspiration for you first some wonderful makes, using the images supplied by The Cutting Cafe, from our Guest Designers (all previous winners):

Chrissy used Christmas Sentiments, and Mikala Ann.
Chrissy said:
I've been keeping these  Snowflakes for a long time! I was eventually going to cut them up and  use just a few at a time lol..as they were on a roll...
but,  when I saw this Christmas Tree I decided I could use them down the edges...With two finishing at the top to look like a star!
I then thought they look soooo pretty! I decided to use them the rest down the edges of the paper!  Yikes! This Christmas card will have to go to someone special!


I used:
Christmas in a Square - The Cutting Cafe
Kraft cardstock dark and light
Dies: Spellbinder - Fleur de lis Squares
Britannia Dies - Medium Poinsettia
Embossing Enamel White
Pearls
and my special item is the charm that I've saved for a long time.


On the Christmas tree, I purchased the wire and beads in 2003, which was my first scrapbook convention (Simply Southern Scrapbook Convention) in Nashville, TN.  I saw several projects that I wanted to try including cursive writing.  Since I didn't get a chance to take the class or pursue the technique, they have been in my stash unused.  When I saw The Cutting Cafe Christmas Sentiment Shapes, the tree caught my eyes and I attached the beads to the wire to trim the tree and added the other embellishments to put it all together.

Now we have some gorgeous projects from our talented Design Team:




Sorry I was late, here is my project. The gel medium is still wet so I will replace this photo when it is properly dry (now replaced), it has glass balls in it so should be nice and shiny.
I am still altering, I took a photo frame that I bought in a charity shop, painted it with Fresco paints and added Christmas Sentiment Shapes which were inked with Distress inks, and Christmas Stocking Laundry as the focal picture in the frame. My special items are the Tattered Angels Glimmer Glass acetate overlays. I bought these a few years ago and was so in awe of them they stayed in the pack - until now! 



I have to say, this challenge has been one of my favorites. Search my trunk of memories was very special. Now I want to show my treasure. It's something I keep with special affection, because it was the first technique that I taught in my classes, it is also my favorite. I used my manual embossing, patinas paper, glitter and my class'a peel stickers.


To make these cards also used the SVG cut file Sentiments Christmas Shapes Outlines from our sponsor The Cutting Cafe.I embossed card with a snowflake embossing folder, then die cut a snowflake and covered it with glitter. I also added Class´s a Peel Stickers, a little charm, ribbon and some sparks.

For my second card, I used the same file from The Cutting Cafe, our great sponsor. In this case, I also used my double sided adhesive sheets. I worked them with glitter and Class'a Peel stickers  Also used the patinas to give light and shade to the poinsettias and some ribbon.

I hope you enjoy this challenge as much as I. Find the full instructions at my blog: dorismolina.blogspot.comFind the full instructions at my blog from Monday morning.

I wanted to share my photo frame in which I've put my mums favorite 'star embellishment' that is so very special to me..but its a bit old, she loved Christmas a lot...and its been a year that she passed away. I have also used the images from Cutting Cafe, CHRISTMAS RUBY J, CHRISTMAS IN A SQUARE, and CHRISTMAS STOCKING LAUNDRY.

Will also be along later, new computer and visitors causing delay, Lyn apologises.

I love Christmas, it's my favourite time of year and best spent with friends and family....what more could you want at this special time? I have many birthdays amongst my friends and family this time of year, and as soon as I saw the images from the Elisha Jane and Friends set, I knew it had to be based around friends and family. I used Dylusions ink sprays to make the background and Promarkers to colour the images. To edge the page, I used a pine needle rubber stamp, just to give the page some definition. My special treasured thing: I used a snow pen. I've had it for years and don't want to use it up, so don't use it very often. I haven't seen another one since I bought it. I used it around the girls hats and dresses










For this challenge I used the "Christmas in a square" set provided by our sponsor The Cutting Cafe.
As a 2013 purpose, I wanted to learn to work on vinyl. And I am very happy because I achieved it. I could even teach some friends.

In Costa Rica, you can´t find on the stores Oracal vinyl -for me the best of all- , you can find other brands, but not as good as Oracal. So to have Oracal vinyl, I must make an international purchase. For that reason, my Oracal vinyl is like a treasure.
So, in this project I used some of my beloved treasure: golden matte vinyl.


 Please add a link to your blog post (not your blog) or your online photo gallery, SCS etc. using the button below.


Have Fun - The Quirky Crafts Challenge Design Team.

Winners of Challenge #24 "Christmas like in the good old days"

We know this are pretty busy days, so we want to thanks to all the entrants for your extra effort.
Your makes were all lovely, thank you for joining in!

Sadly we had to eliminate some lovely entries for not featuring an altered project.

We would like to thank our sponsor for this challenge who were: STITCHY BEAR STAMPS



Your digis are so beautiful it was a pleasure to work with it, they were perfect for this challenge

 
In first place is SUSAN with a stunning Christmas box:





Congratulations Susan, you have won 3 images of choice from the whole  Stitchy Bear Stamps store.


Our second winner is MIRRE, with her beautiful metal heart:




Congratulations Mirre, you have won 3 images from of the DT´s chosen images.

Third place goes to REA, with this her lovely altered frame. 






Congratulations Rea, you have won 2 images from the DT´s chosen images.

This are the images that Stitchy Bear Digital stamps provided to the team:

Stitchy Stamps
Magic of Christmas
Window Shopping

Coosty Creations
Poinsettia Digital Stamp and  a paper from the Paper Pack

Lil Diva
Winterville
Lil Angel



All of you please email Cazzy, using the email link in the sidebar, and she will send you your winner's badges and arrange for you to get your prizes. 
We would love all of you to be Guest Designers in the next challenge if you can, so please let me know if you can join us, and you get another badge for that and an image or two to use!

Thank you to everyone who entered, and don't forget to check back later today to find out about our new challenge!

Have Fun - The Quirky Crafts Challenge Design Team.

Sunday 1 December 2013

Reminder time - Challenge #24 - Christmas Like In the Good Old Days

It's reminder time, you have until midday December 7th to enter this challenge with your vintage altered christmas projects.

Remember, it could be a bottle, a thin, a notebook, a frame, etc, whatever you want, but you must meet the 3 requirements: vintage, Christmas and altered project. (Sorry no cards are allowed, if you enter a card you will not be making it to the top three).

This time we are lucky to be sponsored by STITCHY BEAR STAMPS  who provided the team with the perfect images for this challenge, and you can win some fabulous prizes if you are picked by the team to be in our top three!


Our first place winner will win 3 images of choice from the whole of the store.

Our second place winner will win 3 images from of the DT´s chosen images.


And  our third place winner will win 2 images from the DT´s chosen images.

Stitchy Bear Digital stamps provided the following images to the team:

Stitchy Stamps
Magic of Christmas
Window Shopping

Coosty Creations
Poinsettia Digital Stamp and  a paper from the Paper Pack

Lil Diva
Winterville
Lil Angel


Now here is some more inspiration from the team:

 First, we would like to welcome our new 2 month Guest Designer -
Konica! 
Konica is so excited to be on the team, and she has started a week early and made this gorgeous altered tin:
Konica said: I just wanted to share with you my altered creation - well...I have used Li'l Diva Stamps - Li'l Angel and poinsettia paper pack.
Well done Konica, we love it, and I hope everyone will visit your blog to see more information(and more of your creations) and to welcome you to the team!

And here's some fabulous makes from the rest of the Quirky Design Team!


                                                          Cazzy  (Here at last)

will be along later, busy with schedule for next year!                                             
Here I am, sorry I am late but life got in the way of crafting this time, and you might wonder why this is all I have to show for my hours of work, well I did alter a watch box but when I looked at the photos it is so awful I am not even going to show you, I might put it on my blog though. This is an altered sweetie jar, I used Winter Ville and painted the lid gold, finally adding some tinsel ribbon I bought from Crafty Ribbons.


                                                             DORIS
might be a bit later too


     GEMMA

Christmas is fast approaching, and this challenge has really filled me with Christmas spirit.
The focal Digi image in this wall hanging is from the fabulous Stitchy Bear Stamps, which I coloured with Inktense Pencils, Portfolio Oil Crayons and a waterbrush.  I distressed the edges of the Digi stamp and made small tears which I curled over, then edged with Walnut Stain Distress Ink.  This made it look worn and old.



The background was a collage of vintage papers and replica vintage Christmas postcards from my own stash. I punched some snowflakes out of canvas and embossed them with silver powder to stand out.  I just love the way the main image stands out so much on the muted background, and I know exactly where I'm going to hang this for Christmas.... Xxx

                                                                  Lyn

 I altered some beer mats, strangely we appear to have rather a lot of them! I've covered them in some vintge papers  I had from a magazine and then inked them and the digi images from our sponsor with Vintage Photo and then tore around them. I printed out the word SNOW and tore this out so on each beer mat it reads 'Snow', Noel, Oh Christmas Tree and Winter. Then I added glitter glue. The reindeer is a stencil, also from a crafty mag.
Vintage really isn't my favourite, or altering things, but I also hate to give up! This was a Nuttella glass jar (Nuttella long gone!) I printed the digis onto thin acetate..and then threw some embossing power over it as soon as the sheet came out of the printer. I gently heated it, adding a bit more embossing power to make the actetate look frosted. It then went through my Xyron and was stuck to the glass. The candle was lit and the lights turned down...




                                                                             
 MONICA



For this challenge reminder I used this beautiful digi, "Magic of Christmas", provided by our generous sponsor, Stitchy Bear Stamps.
I altered a plain wooden tray, painting it with dark brown acrylic paint, then a coat of crackle medium and then a light coat of french vanilla acrylic paint.  When the wooden tray was already crackle, I apply distress ink to the borders. Then, I cut a dark brown background with a lacy border to add the digi. I colored the digi with Spectrum Noir pens, using golden and browns, to keep the vintage look.


To enter this challenge link your post HERE


Have Fun - The Quirky Crafts Challenge Design Team.