Happy Easter! Challenge Extended!

Happy Easter! I hope you are enjoying this special day in a special way! I will not be able to post the winners until Tuesday night, April 2, so I am leaving the challenge open through Monday night until midnight Pacific time. Click Here for the challenge details and entry form.

In the meantime, please enjoy this fun project from Amy Bowerman of Plucking Daisies!

Amy had created wired gem trees before, and really wanted to make a Wonderland version the moment she saw the Ocotopode Alice stretched out tall! I love the tall cat that goes along with this set! We also have the Dodo keeping company.

The pigeon screams "Serpent" when it saw Alice's long, long neck and protected her eggs!

And the Dodo has a Disney quote coming from his pipe: "Smoke the monster out!"

Please stop by Plucking Daisies to see all the details of the various techniques used on this whimsical creation! And please leave a comment for Amy on her blog!

Go to THIS POST for challenge details and to enter; you have until Monday, midnight Pacific time (3:00 a.m. Eastern time). There is a generous $30 gift certificate for one randomly drawn winner, and you have time to enter, or enter again with a new project as multiple entries are allowed!

See you again on Tuesday, and HAPPY EASTER!

Chapter 25: Mad as a March Hare

 The Hatter was the first to break the silence. `What day of the month is it?' he said, turning to Alice: he had taken his watch out of his pocket, and was looking at it uneasily, shaking it every now and then, and holding it to his ear. Alice considered a little, and then said `The fourth.' `Two days wrong!' sighed the Hatter. `I told you butter wouldn't suit the works!' he added looking angrily at the March Hare. `It was the BEST butter,' the March Hare meekly replied. `Yes, but some crumbs must have got in as well,' the Hatter grumbled: `you shouldn't have put it in with the bread-knife.' The March Hare took the watch and looked at it gloomily: then he dipped it into his cup of tea, and looked at it again: but he could think of nothing better to say than his first remark, `It was the BEST butter, you know.' -- Chapter 7, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

The term "Mad as a hare’ which was common during Carroll's time, alludes to the crazy capers of the male hare during March, the rutting season, and the straw on his head in the original Tenniel illustrations was also a symbol of madness. (from Lenny's Alice in Wonderland site) As March is the month we celebrate the mad March Hare, ANYTHING GOES is our challenge.

You have until Friday, March 29 to enter your creations. As always, multiple entries are allowed but each must be on a separate post. All entries are welcome, but those that feature Wonderland will have two chances at the prize instead of one. And what a prize it is! A $30 gift certificate for digital images from the fabulous, fantastical world of The Octopode Factory!

[ Etsy Store - Digital | Rubber Stamps | Blog | Challenge Blog | Facebook | Flickr ]

The talented Lily Chilvers started The Octopode Factory when she was only seventeen and they were an instant hit. Originally available only in digital form, they are now also available in rubber stamps, and she has a wealth of amazing Alice in Wonderland images. Be sure to check out these wacky images through the links above!

Design Team Inspiration

Bonnie McLain of  Love, Light and Peace has crafted an amazing multisided creation with windows, doors and pop outs for four of the Octopode Wonderland characters.  We start with the Mare Hare, obviously mad indeed.  Oh dear, is he late for the tea party?

It's always time for tea according to the hatter's clock.  See how he keeps his pot and cups handy? And what glorious colors Bonnie has used both in coloring the digis and creating the sprayed and stamped backgrounds.  So whimsical, so wonderful.

And next we have the Caterpillar.  He has his own story to tell.  He'll write it down, as soon as he decides what pen nib to choose.

And finally the Queen of Hearts.  I love the addition of the jeweled hearts and Wonderland motifs like the playing card and crown.  Please visit Bonnie for more detailed pix and to find out how these amazing sections fit together.  And while you're there, please don't forget to leave her some love.

Barbara Washington of  Magic Delights has created an interactive Jacob's Ladder filled with characters from Wonderland celebrating an Un-Birthday Tea Party!

Do you remember how they work? Two different ribbons interlace between the cards to connect them. When you hold them up, the sides flip-flop down in a cascade, it is like magic, especially with a cute grandson to show how it works!

 Please visit Magic Delights and leave a comment for Barbara on this amazing creation!

And now it's TIME for something truly incredible:

Donna Mundinger of Popsicle Toes created a fabulous framed clock, with Ocotopode's quirky Clockwork Flower really keeping time! I am just stunned at all the detail:

 The March Hare looks in dire need of caffeine! Donna has colored these images beautifully!

 Of course we have Donna' trademark alphabet beads. Here they proclaim that the watch is running two days slow. . . Tick Tock, Tick Tock! I love the patterned paper she chose, it is just perfect for this project.

And it really works! Bravo to Donna for this fabulous creation. Any Alice fan would be totally thrilled to have a watch like this keeping time. Be sure to visit Popsicle Toes to leave a comment for Donna on this amazing clock.

Submit your projects by Mar. 29 using the Linky Tool below. PLEASE include your name or your blog name in the TITLE, this helps me enormously when it is time to do the honorable mentions. Note: If you are viewing this in an email or reader, you may need to go to the blog by clicking on the title of this post in order to submit or view the projects.

Please leave a comment before you go! It means a lot to me. And be sure to visit the blogs of our talented design team members to leave comments there on the wonderful projects they've created!

Winner & Honorable Mentions, CHAPTER 24 - Romance in Wonderland

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[ Store | Simply Betty Blog | Challenge Blog | Steampunk Challenge Blog ]

The winner of this challenge will receive a $15 gift certificate to Betty's store! This challenge we featured the fabulous Steampunk Romance images by Simply Betty Stamps.  The people pictured in this stamp line resemble grown-up characters in Wonderland, don't you think? You should also check out the whimsical Alice in Wonderland collection. Here is what the oh, so talented Betty has to say:

Simply Betty Stamps started in 2010, when I was forced to close my little scrapbook store due to my last baby coming early.  I was home, with a preemie  couldn't do much but draw, craft, and had just discovered blogging!  I started to nose around about digis, how could I do this, how could I do that?  Slowly but surely Simply Betty Stamps was born!  I have a quirky sense of humor and I believe it shows in my images.  I have immortalized my kids in my images as it is what I love creating with, their everyday shenanigans and goofy ways.  I love sharing my creativity, I can't tell you how awesome it is to see others creating with SBS images!  I look forward to continuing to bring in the quirkiness to crafters across the globe and look forward to many years of fun images.

One more design team project and then on to the Winner and Honorable Mentions!

Design Team Inspiration
A series of emergencies at work prevented me completing my own project, but never fear as we have one last project from Donna Mundinger of Popsicle Toes: an altered chocolate box! What could be more perfect for romance and The ALTERED Alice?

Love the classic red, white and black color scheme.

Love the way Donna has tied her design in with the flourishes on the packaging!

Donna's trademark alphabet beads and a cool crown to adorn the heart balloon. Love that mini vintage Queen of Hearts playing card!

Yummy velvet ric rac and a lovely red rose are the perfect finishing touches!

Be sure to stop by Popsicle Toes to get all the details on construction of this lovely chocolate box, and to leave Donna some love!

Winner

And who will win the $15 gift certificate from our fabulous sponsor, Simply Betty Stamps?

Our randomly chosen winner is Wendy of WendyLynn's Paper Whims! Congratulations Wendy, I know you will enjoy your fabulous new Simply Betty Stamps! Contact me through the email link in the left column of the blog!

Honorable Mentions

And now for a few Honorable Mentions; all listed here are entitled to display this blog badge if they wish!

Of course I could not resist this traditional Valentine which features one of Simply Betty's Steampunk Romance images!

Irene of Irene's Card Creations did a fabulous job of coloring our dashing Mad Hatter!

The next several creations stood out for their use of playing card elements:

Sue Davies of Sue the Iron caught my attention with the way she created her clever playing card from a Queen of Hearts stamp, a Q and a heart stamp. Use of the dreaded stamp positioner really paid off, I love it!

It was so interesting to see a second entry inspired by the same Tim tag in the same challenge! This version from Monique's Pretty Dark Art caught my eye for the non-traditional colors on her Queen of Hearts really made the card pop from the red and black background elements.

Mary M. of Mary's Stamping Place caught my eye with all the Alice elements she included, especially the wonderful playing card border!

Erin of Elfie's Sparkle & Dust had a fan of what looks like real playing cards behind her cute Queen, and I love all the other elements tucked in, including filmstrip elements, lace and die cuts.

The intriguing corset-laced gatefold card from Leigh S-B Designs caught my eye, not only for the interesting card construction but also the rose-flowered playing cards she created, very interesting and lovely coloring of the main image!

And last but not least, I just keep coming back to this one for the fabulous silhouettes of the stacked teacups  (and the way Alice is perched on them) at the bottom of this design by Andy Llewelyn-Brinsley of Andy's Craft Corner. Lovely coloring and bright spring colors, but those teacups are really cool!

Please take a look at all the other Romance in Wonderland projects listed in the Linky Tool below; they are all wonderful!. Note: If you are viewing this in an email or reader, you may need to go to the blog by clicking on the title of this post in order to submit or view the projects.
Please leave a comment before you go!