Friday and it's the start of the weekend ......

Morning readers,

I had a really nice day out yesterday, I met a pal at our local mall, we chatted over coffee and then left the mall (with no shopping!!!) and hit our fave lunch spot for ham, egg and chips (YUM) before I dropped my pal back at the mall - she was heading in to M&S to collect a cake (yum again!). I have more of the same today as I'm meeting another pal for coffee and cake at our local The Range!! Yee Haa - this IS the life!!!

I've a mixed media Artist Trading Card to share with you this morning ... I found that I had an ATC sized snippet of a mixed media (a painted/brayered/gelli printed piece) project left over that was too  nice not to use. I rummaged through my stamp drawers in search of inspiration and lit upon the Sheena Douglass set - I set to work using three images from that set - see below. I don't really "DO" Halloween but this ATC does appear to be channelling that kind of vibe, total accident until I got round to picking the sentiment which, I concede, does rather lean towards Halloween, so I'm calling it a Halloween ATC!

My Artist Trading Card

And a closer view of the colouring and detail

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippets of white card and a mixed media painted background
• Plain and faux stitched nesting rectangles dies
• Using a mini blender and foam pad (without re-inking from a previous make which used tea dye and rusty hinge distress inks) I added colour over the white card panel
• Using images from Sheena Douglass journal text (TXT-ST-JOUR) I stamped images using Memento inks: rich cocoa, grey flannel and London fog
• Stampotique "Moth Fab" stamped on to my ATC (and a second time on to a white snippet) using Memento tuxedo black ink
• Copic alcohol pens and Faber Castell polychromos pencils used to colour image, once completed I fussy cut out ..... not worrying too much about the REALLY fiddly bits as I had also stamped her on to my coloured panel ....... before running through my Xyron sticker maker and then adhering to my panel, snipping off any overlap
• Smeared Ink (no longer trading) "Halloween Grumpies" sentiment stamped using Memento tuxedo black ink

I'll be entering the above make for the following challenges:-

1. Hiding In My Craft Room - challenge No. 371 - ANY HOLIDAY ... Halloween!
2. Cute 'n Crafty - challenge No. 10 - FALL/HALLOWEEN
3. Try It On Tuesday - September 18th - SLAP IT ON
4. Back To Basics - challenge No. 12 - INKY BACKGROUNDS

And now ... as another holiday approaches, it's time to start my Christmas cards in earnest!

My card

  

The front, back and inside of my card along with the front and back of my envelope

Materials used:

• Cream A2/C6, 250gsm, card with matching sized envelope
• Cream and red card cut to fit and mat
• Snippet of white card, for my image panel
• Art Impressions penguins (M-3062) stamped on to white snippet using Memento tuxedo black
• Penny Black (Giving and Receiving) stamped using Memento tuxedo black ink
• On to the cream card front I stamped the circle border (Woodware (JGCL504) using Memento Paris dusk ink
• On the insert and envelope I stamped the MFT two part sentiment )CS-83 Hand lettered Holiday) using Memento tuxedo black ink
• Faber Castell polychromos pencils used to colour
• Stardust stickles used to embellish the "snow" and "fur trim"

I'll be entering the above make for the following challenges:-

1. WaterCooler Wednesday - challenge No. 189 - ALL ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS
2. The Holly and The Ivy - challenge No. 37 - ANYTHING CHRISTMAS GOES
3. Addicted to Stamps - challenge No. 311 - ANYTHING GOES
4. Fab 'n Funky - challenge No. 409 - ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL
5. Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - September 12th challenge - ANYTHING CHRISTMAS GOES