Thursday, November 29, 2012

Top Talent Thursday!





Welcome back to Our Creative Corner.

Top Talent Thursday.

It is with utmost pleasure that I present to you this Thursday all the way from Austria, a lady who will amaze you with her mixed media projects on her Blog, and by what she has created for you today; as it is truly beautiful.
Please welcome and congratulate our Guest and ‘Top Talent’ for this Thursday 29th November, and our winner of the ‘Masking for Halloween’ Challenge:
CLAUDIA aka die amelie

We are so thrilled to showcase her work, but first let us learn a little bit about her.

Questions:
1.) ‘Where do you Live’?

I live in Austria's beautiful capital Vienna, located at the river Danube and surrounded by my beloved "Wienerwald" and a lot of vineyards. I moved here about ten years ago, following love's call and I really enjoy Vienna's great variety of cultural entertainment as much as the simultane possibilities of a big city at your doorstep as well as nature. The often mentioned and typical Viennese mopishness (which I think of as amusing, but not everyone does!) reveals itself as only one side of the medal, giving the Viennese a closer look. They also are as heartily and caring, given a chance to show that side as well. One could say, they never pretend being other than they really are at the very moment :)
I also love that slightly morbid touch, which is typical for Vienna's locals (which might be due to me fitting in quite perfectly :)
I love Vienna's historic center very much! And of course the coffee houses!!! :)

(Mopishness for those who do not know means; Apathetic, gloomy and morose!)


2.) What if anything, do you consistently draw inspiration from?
As I am very much a visual person, I gather (and store) impressions almost everywhere. These may be certain combinations of colours or textures, impressing faces, that tell whole live's stories or unusual combinations of subjects, that arouse one's attention. I have a specialized look for tiny details, I guess. That's why I also love macro photography very much as well as doing small crafting objects or painting small formats rather than large canvasses. So to say I draw inspiration from nature and everyday life and it’s "small everyday wonders".


3.) List five blogs that truly inspire you?
First of all comes wonderful Alison - butterfly's blog:
"Words and Pictures"!
Also froebelsternchens blog:
froebelsternchen.blogspot.co.at always inspires me, as she uses Mixed Media in so many creative ways.
Elly Pirally's blog:
"Mixed Media and more" is totally up my alley and I so love her booklets and wonderful ancient looking objects she creates out of simple cereal boxes and other stuff.
Then there should also be mentioned Ana K.'s blog
"Anina Papirckalnica" - a treasure box to me.
And last but not least Luthien Thye's "Altered Alchemy"...
...to name only five of a whole bunch of blogs I love to visit regularly.

(Mmmm.., I will pay a visit, as 3 out of the 5 I do not know!)

4.) How would you describe your art for the general public audience if they have never seen it before?
Phew painter's or colouring type - that much is obvious. I love shabby things and objects, that tell stories of time, wind and weather. Their colours - almost any colours "produced" by nature itself - and textures are eye-candy to me and I often try to create a look, that is meant to provide the same experience. Patina for example. Or rotten leaves' colours... there's so much to be found in nature, that is pure inspiration.... quite difficult to answer, as I think one has a completely different look at one's own creations than an audience has. At least I dare to state, that my art is quite widely ranged - from very graphical and dainty to quite messy, from rather spooky to almost lovely. Mixed Media and altering techniques play a main role in it, I guess. I am not at all the colourful

5.) What other hobbies or talents do you have that you'd like to share with us?
From time to time I collect old cut-out-sheets, paper dolls and paper theaters, which - when assembled - I show on my other VonPappe-blog , I am interested in photography, but at the moment pausing at it (don't know exactly why). Images can be seen at my photo-blog "sightings"
and sometimes I write (mainly children's) poems, which I also publish on "Bert-der-Bär".


6.) What is the most useless item that you have purchased for your craft?
It's definitely the tray for embossing, which I bought after having knocked over the tin with my precious aged copper embossing enamel. (I got it all back from the floor, using shovel and broom, but I then had to pick out a lot of white dog's hair with tweezers, before it was of any use again...). I had used a simple sheet of paper before and have gone back to it, after the tray always gets static.


And here is what Claudia presented us with!
















































Thank you, Claudia for being our 'Thursday's Top Talent'. and sharing such wonderful inspiration with us!I have only shown you half of the photos of this Box!
If you want to see more please pay her a visit.

Claudia’s Blog:
Von Pappe II


If you'd like the chance to be part of
'Top Talent Thursday'. at Our Creative Corner, simply join in our current challenge here.
There's still time to participate.


Smiles:)
Sue.

"The person born with a talent they are meant to use will find their greatest happiness in using it."
~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe


Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Winner: Foil and Alcohol inks!


Hello Everyone.
Welcome back to  'Our Creative Corner.' 
Sue here, and I have the honour and pleasure to announce this weeks winner of the Foil and Alcohol Inks Challenge. First, let me thank you all for the beautiful entries; your creations were inspiring. I speak for all my teamies when I say, 'Great work everyone!'
Unfortunately there can only be one winner.


DAWN T -Dawn's World. 





















Congratulations Dawn, your die-cut inked foiled frame in purple hues is radiant and dominant, it relates a complexity of colours embracing a diversity of undertones linked with artistry and uniqueness; Santa looks great!
If you want to know the details on this card, unfortunately it is not on her Blog as she uploaded it onto her Flickr Gallery. So you will have to ask her if you want to know how it was made!

Please feel free to upload this button and display proudly on your Blog.



Just a reminder that Irena's- A.B.C. Challenge finishes this Saturday, so you still have time to join in, and have the chance to be our next Top Talent!
Need even more inspiration?  Check us out on our new Facebook page!
Smiles:) 
Sue.
 

Saturday, November 24, 2012

ABC Challenge

Hi there and welcome to another fun weekly challenge here at Our Creative Corner!  Thank you to everyone who participated in last week's 'Foil and Alcohol Inks' challenge.  So many wonderful entries were shared.  Please stop by on Wednesday, to see who will take home the Top Talent Award for that challenge.

I'm Irena Kowalczyk aka Rudlis from “Love, life and crafts” and I am really excited to be your hostess this week. My challenge "ABC" as:
"A" for Angel,  
"B" for button(s), 
"C" for chipboard.
 Use in your project, these three things and show where they are.
I hope you'll join the fun.   However, please keep in mind: total number of Challenges you are allowed to enter is:   FOUR, including ours!

Here are samples from our design team for your inspiration.

                 Lisa - You Made Me Ink!
Angel Mother, Clay Heart Button, Chipboard Base
    
 

Angel image, Buttons, Chipboard Stars.

 

Sharon Wheet - Designs by Sharon
Angel stamp, Buttons, and Chipboard snowflake

 
Kim Price - Inkognito
 

 Marcy Kaminski - En Papillote Arts


 Linda Coughlin - The Funkie Junkie
 

 Liliana Inguanti - Stampin' From Home
Angel image, button, chipboard (ornament base)

 

Irena Kowalczyk/Rudlis - love, life and crafts



Meihsia Liu - Simply Paper Crafts

Paula McClane - Scrap Addict's Attic



Thursday, November 22, 2012

Top Talent Thursday




Welcome back to Our Creative Corner.

Please welcome and congratulate our Top Talent for this Thursday CHRISSY (Chrissy's Cardland).  Who was our winner of 'Simple and Clean Kitchen Challenge'
The thrill for me, is Chrissy is from NZ, and as you all know I am too!

You are privileged to have two Kiwi's, one presenting and one showcasing..... How lucky are you!
So without further discourse from me, let us learn a little bit about her.

1.) Tell us, where do you live?
I live in Beautiful New Zealand…Napier, on the East coast of the North Island..
Sunny Hawkes Bay it is known as too…
(I concur; it is a pretty city with Art Deco architectural influences.)

2.) How long have you been crafting and what made you start crafting?
My daughter was impressed with some cards she found, and wanted to start card making, so I joined her about 5 years ago now…she quit…I didn’t…but I did venture off into another direction with scrap booking….but then came back to cards 2 years ago.

3.) If you could have anything you wanted, what would it be?
To be serious…my eyesight…I’m nearly blind in my left eye.. but in crafting goodies….dies…I have seen so many gorgeous dies, and I NEED them all…

4.) We all make mistakes!!!!!what is the most common word you utter instinctively to ease the crisis?
Is this an R18 blog…maybe PG should be recommended…but my usual comment is a very loud “YOU IDIOT”…and bang the desk.. which makes the dog look up and the bird shudder.. lol.. I’m very loud…then I say “CALM”….BE CALM CHRISSY and sort it out quietly...CALM is my favourite word.
(Gosh Chrissy, ‘CALM’ is not a word in my vernacular!)

5.) Is there anything unique you would like to share with us about yourself.?
( It could be a fun thing.)

Don’t know if I’m unique in anyway…But I do have the ability to make people laugh and feel better very quickly…as a caregiver you have to be happy don’t you.. not one of my clients are sad anymore…and I’m proud to say it is because of me…poor devils don’t get a chance to be unhappy…lol..

6.) Do you pre-sketch a design or do you just wing it? How long does it usually take you to make a project?

I wing my way everyday…I never sketch or choose papers first or pre decide what colours I’m going to use…if a new image comes along I just do it.. ideas just pop into my head when I sit down..
My cards are pretty simple and they take from, starting to colour to propping up on my side board ready to photograph…probably an hour or less.. depends what’s on TV..
The fancier ones can take half hour longer I suppose…I like to make 1 card a night if I can…to keep ahead for DT commitments.. I’m on seven…so pretty busy.
(A for amazing.)























Chrissy's Blog:
(Chrissys Cardland)
Commendable cards Chrissy and thank you for being our 'Thursday's Top Talent' and sharing such wonderful inspiration with us!

If you want the chance to be part of Top Talent Thursday on Our Creative Corner, then just join in our current Challenge here, you still have some time to participate.

Smiles:)
Sue.


"The person born with a talent they are meant to use will find their greatest happiness in using it."
~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Winner - Make your own Background.


Hello Everyone.
I have the pleasure and honour of announcing the winner of last weeks Challenge 'Make your own Background.'
My appreciation to all who entered is measureless, as all of you did me and the team at Our Creative Corner proud; Thank you very much.
The creativity that was on display was inspirational, and I know I had a gripe about the number of entries some of you had entered, but it was only due to frustration on my part I hope I have not put any of you off.

And the WINNER is.......JANNY (Jannys cards creations.)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh661lOs8XkaD1X1_dDTKbNBM3SEZSphIM4IYf-dTfnDhG4f_7sN8ZsS5RzKAyy3-Cbd33R1l1dX8RgkwsrdomedAasIJw1lf1b7ozKyWyIfZbH5hc0kC8VXhSwgXJI1ek0TIpTEuGYmRIF/s400/IMG_7195.JPG







This is a delightful mix of warm and cool shades; a muted paletteIt relates a low key, yet natural complexity that pulls you in, the dominating theme is a comforting softness and warmth. A beautifully designed background.

Here is your winner's badge JANNY to proudly display on your Blog
 

Just a reminder that the 'Foil and Alcohol Ink'  Challenge is still in progress, you still have time to participate, and be in with a chance to be our next Top Talent!
Please join in and submit your entry.
Need even more inspiration? 
Check us out on our new Facebook page!
Smiles:)
Sue


Saturday, November 17, 2012

Foil and Alcohol Inks Challenge.

Hello Everyone.
Welcome to  Our Creative Corner.
Susan here again to inspire you for another week, with some dazzling creativity not just from me but from my teamies as well.
Before I get into the business of explaining the Challenge for this week, I have a little gripe! And I can honestly say I do not gripe often, but today I am going to have a gripe!

So please read the post!

 Total number of Challenges you are allowed to enter is:
 FOUR, including ours!
Last week we had some amazing entries and I was impressed at the talent and quality of work that was on display, it was exciting for me to see such wonderful backgrounds, and very inspiring, and there were many winners, but every-time I thought 'this is the one' I had to disqualify because the entrant had participated in too many Challenges!!!
It was so disappointing.
 It is a rule that we have made of late and it has to be adhered to ..........  Please follow this rule we have set, enter your amazing projects and have the chance to be our next Top Talent, where your Blog and creations will be spotlighted.

Now back to the good stuff.

Here is the next challenge: 
Foil and Alcohol Inks!
The technique of dripping Alcohol Inks onto Foil has an amazing effect. 
The item you make can be anything; a free standing decoration,  or an element to place onto your project, experiment and have some fun, it is getting close to the silly season, so why not let go and free all those inhibitions and let rip with some colour!
Be inspired now by the design team, that I have the privilege to work with. 

Foil Doily with Alcohol Inks applied.

Foil sky, roof, tree and ground snow with Alcohol Inks and Gesso

Flowers have been die cut from foil and then coloured using Alcohol inks.

Banner Die Cut upside-down from Tin, Embossed, then colored with Alcohol Inks & Glimmer Glaze

Meihsia Liu -  Simply Paper Crafts

Kim Price - Inkognito


Irena Kowalczyk/Rudlis - love, life and crafts

Liliana Inguanti-Garcia- Stampin from home

Linda Coughlin - The Funkie Junkie

Sharon Wheet - Designs by Sharon



Thursday, November 15, 2012

Top Talent Thursday.



Top Talent Thursday.

Welcome back to

Our Creative Corner.


Please welcome and congratulate our Top Talent for this Thursday, all the way from England; KIM (kimx). who was the winner of our 'Lets get Country' Challenge.

We are thrilled to showcase her work for you today, but first let us learn a little bit about her.


1.)Where do you live?
I live in a village in Surrey in the south of England called
Whyteleafe. It is several miles outside London, but quite near Croydon.


2.) If you could only use three craft supplies for the rest of your
life, what would they be?
Oh Boy, only 3, I'm not sure that I could narrow it down to just that!!!
As I love my STAMPING AND HEAT EMBOSSING I would definitely need that,
but then I guess you need three products(inkpad, embossing powder and
heat gun)  to be able to do it, so that would really restrict me.
I love playing with inks to create backgrounds so I would be lost
without my DISTRESS INK PADS, and a WATERBRUSH would be great to be
able to use my inkpads to colour in my stamped and embossed images.
Like most crafters I like to try out all of the new things that appear
on the market, but I always return to my first love of Stamping and
Heat Embossing. It's the WOW factor that it still has even after all
these years.


3.) What color inspires your creativity?
I'm not sure that there is any one colour that particularly inspires me
creatively.
I just love paper and inks and am always drawn to the beautiful
background papers that you find in Craft stores.
If I lived to be 103 I could never use all of the papers that I already
own. but still I NEED, I WANT, I HAVE TO HAVE.
That would definitely be my motto but they could be any colour lol. Of
course you have to have two of each, one to use and one that you can
look at and feel, now that would definitely inspire my creativity.
(Mmm- don’t we all!!!)

4.) Picking only one color of paint, which would you prefer on your
carpet?
I would prefer to keep my paint on my paper if at all possible, but
given how messy I am, getting it on the carpet is always a possibility.
I love brown with blues or pinks as a colour combo, although I do seem
to be going through a bit of an orange phase at the moment.


5.) If you have lost your Mojo, how do you go about getting it back?
I find that if I am struggling creatively a flick through an old
magazine is a great way to inspire me.
And of course there is no better place to recover a missing  Mojo than
a trip to Blogland to visit some of my talented blogging chums.


6.) How long have you been crafting and what made you start crafting?
I have always enjoyed knitting, sewing, tapestry and embroidery since I
was a little girl (that's a long time ago now), but I first encountered
Rubber Stamping at a show in London some 17 years ago, and I have been
hooked ever since.


7.) What is your favorite holiday/event to make crafts for?
I just love making cards so I really don't need an excuse to make one.
I suppose Christmas is a very obvious time of year to be making them,
but I think probably making a special card to give to someone, no
matter what the event, is probably my favourite thing to do. I love the
reaction that you get when they open the card and see what you have
made especially for them, that always gives me a buzz.


Kim's  Card



Thank you, Kim for being our 'Thursday's Top Talent' and sharing such wonderful inspiration with us.

 Kim'sBLOG-Kimx


If you'd like the chance to be spotlighted on
'Top Talent Thursday'.
at Our Creative Corner, simply join in our current challenge here.  
There's still time to participate.

"The person born with a talent they are meant to use will find their greatest happiness in using it."
~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe


Silhouette Winner!

Happy winner's Wednesday everyone! I'm Marcy Kaminski, here again to announce the winner for last week's "Silhouette" challenge! We appreciate the amazing entries for this really fun challenge! Thank you all for your creations!
Our winner is Joan W, whose amazing card was a standout, using color and composition to exude a serene effect.  So well deserved! Congratulations, Joan, on being our choice for TOP TALENT! Feel free to take our badge to display on your blog!
 
It's not too late to play along with this weeks' fun challenge from Sue, "Make Your Own Background."  Please make sure you link back to us when you post your submission. Don't forget to come back and check out our Top Talent Thursday tomorrow!
We shall return with a new challenge on Saturday, and tons of inspiration for you. Until then, happy crafting!