Saturday - Woo Hoo!

Morning readers,

Busy week keeping up with the weather, what with the rain, the wind and then the heat - but we managed. I spent more than a little time at the Table of Craftiness given that I don't do "well" in the heat!!!

My first make this morning is an ATC - love the scale of them - check it out

My Artist Trading Card

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippets of card in Bazzill textured burgundy and white
• To the white snippet I applied Distress Inks in picked raspberry and wilted violet, using a mini blending tool and blending the "join" till I was happy with the "third" colour!
• KanBan image (stamp set #08) stamped using Versafine Clair nocturne ink
• Avery Elle sentiment (ST-18-07 "Loads of Wishes") stamped using Versafine Clair purple delight ink and highlighting with a Signo unibal white gel pen
• Crafters Companion Spray and Shine applied over the finished image panel, to  protect the water based distress inks

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

1. Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday challenge - ANYTHING GOES
2. Crafty Creations - challenge No. 393 - ANYTHING GOES
3. Creative Knockouts - challenge No. 304 - FOR THE GIRLS
4. Crafting With An Attitude - challenge No. 52 - ANYTHING GOES
5. Aud Sentiments - challenge No. 230 - ANYTHING GOES + A SENTIMENT

And then I thought I would make a masculine card as I had an image in mind that I wanted to use. Now, on it's own it makes a really nice "guy" card (one of the reasons I bought it in the first place) but I wanted to add a pop of colour and some added interest so ... out came some more stamps and inks and this is what happened ........

My card

And a closer view of the image s used

  

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

Materials used:

• White A2/C6, 250gsm, card and matching sized envelope
• Two pieces of white card cut to fit
• One piece of maroon "canvas" textured card (Darice "Timeless"), cut to mat
• StudioLight grunge5 image (SL342) stamped using Versafine Clair nocturne ink
• Around one of the circles I stamped another circle (from StudioLight Grunge5 SL362) using Memento London fog ink
• I then partially stamped the chevron/text image (from StudioLight Grunge5 SL341) using Memento rhubarb stalk ink
• Finally, I added my sentiment (from Happy Little Stampers "Butterfly Birthday" set) using Memento rhubarb stalk ink

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

1. Water Cooler Wednesday - challenge No. 227 - ALL ABOUT OCCASIONS
2. Sisterhood of Crafters - June 26th challenge - ANY OCCASION
3. The Male Room - challenge No. 114 - MULTIPLE LAYERS .. I just hope that two layers of card and three layers of stamping counts
4. Through The Purple Haze - challenge No. 157 - THE GUYS HAVE IT
5. Moving Along With The Times - challenge No. 100 - CAS (Clean And Simple)

  

It's also the birthday of a pal today - so, Happy Birthday Jacky

Friday, get through today and it's the weekend!

Morning readers,

Since it was Rudolph Day earlier this week, my thoughts turned to all things Christmas-y and I made a card. Whilst I was in the mood I found myself rummaging through my "Christmas" drawers (of which there are three) - next thing I knew, two ATC's suddenly presented themselves!

Here's the first one .....

My Artist Trading Card

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippets of card in both navy and white
• On the white snippet I stamped the Uptown Design image (115273) using Memento tuxedo black ink
• Faber Castell polychromos pencils used to colour image
• Marvey le plume II alcohol markers (B711 and B715) to colour background
• Hero Arts sentiment (from CL343) stamped using Memento Paris dusk and the snowflake using Memento London fog
• Diamond stickles to bling up the snowflakes, hair and fur trim
• White Signo uniball used to doodle matting layer detail

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

1. Happy Little Stampers - June ATC challenge - CHRISTMAS
2. Addicted to Stamps - challenge No. 347 - MAKE YOUR MARK
3. ABC of Christmas - June challenge - "L" is for LITTLE and "M" is for MASKING - I went with an ATC, well it IS LITTLE!
4. Water Cooler Wednesday - challenge No. 227 - ALL ABOUT OCCASIONS .. I went with, well, Christmas!
5. Retro Rubber - challenge No. 113 - ANYTHING GOES but  MUST use rubber more than one year old .. I DEFINITELY had both the image and sentiment in 2014 though think they're both older still

  
  

And the second one ..... I'm proud to have used up some of those pesky snippets today too!

My Artist Trading Card

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippets of card in navy and white
• On the navy card I stamped the snow flurry (Creative Expressions UMS851) using Versamark ink, sprinkling liberally with WOW! white puff twinkle and heat embossing
• On the white snippet I stamped my Paper Artsy image (SA19) using Memento tuxedo black ink
• Faber Castell polychromos pencils used to colour
• Once coloured I fussy cut out the image, edging with a black sharpie

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

1. The Crafty Addicts - June challenge - ANYTHING GOES
2. Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday challenge - ANYTHING GOES
3. Crafty Creations - challenge No. 393 - ANYTHING GOES
4. Chrimbo Crackers - challenge No. 187 - ANYTHING (Christmas) GOES
5. Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - June challenge - ANYTHING GOES

And, all that talk of rummaging through drawers sent me scurrying to bedrooms, clearing out drawers there too - not a moment too soon! Then it was on to the wardrobe in our guest room, a dumping ground for anything that didn't specifically have a home!! Honestly, if anyone had come to stay (prior to this clear up) they wouldn't have been able to use the wardrobe! I'm feeling pleased with that particular afternoons work! Onwards and upwards - need to KonMarie the heck out of the rest of the house now!

Hi there, we've reached mid week, downhill to the weekend!

Morning readers,

Been a while since I made a Christmas card .. it seemed it was about all I COULD make early in the year but I stopped and then struggled to get back to it! However, with yesterday being Rudolph Day .. and there only being FIVE more of those till it's too late to worry about it, I thought I should crack on once more. Some friends and I had been talking about patterned paper and I was reminded that I actually had a storage box with patterned papers in so ... I dug it out. Inside was an unopened pack of Bo Bunny Christmas papers, nothing for it but to crack the seal ..... one sheet used in its entirety but there are still plenty more where that came from!

My card

A closer view of the image panel

 

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

Materials used:

• White A2/6, 250gsm, card and matching sized envelope
• Two pieces of card (one white one Bo Bunny Christmas Designer Paper) cut to fit
• One Piece of pearlised gold card, cut to mat
• WRMK nesting rectangles used to cut rectangles from snippets of white, DP and gold card
• Bronze satin ribbon
• Dimensional foam tape
• Inkadinkado snowflake (98250-LL) stamped using Memento Paris dusk ink
• Elsewhere on my card and envelope I also stamped a Paper Artsy sentiment (from JOFY17) using Versafine Clair nocturne ink
• Diamond stickles used to bling up the snowflake

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

1. Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Challenges - challenge No. 444 - ANYTHING (Christmas) GOES
2. Pammie's Inky Pinkies - challenge No. 1925 - ANYTHING GOES
3. Crafty Hazelnuts Patterned Paper Challenge - June challenge - PATTERNED PAPER 
4. Happy Little Stampers - June Christmas challenge - ANYTHING GOES + (optional) NON TRADITIONAL
5. Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - June challenge - ANYTHING GOES + (optional) NON TRADITIONAL COLOURS

Onwards and upwards, I've another make to share with you today .... cracked the seal on new stash again, with the fab Aall & Create coneflower - check it out

My card

And a closer view of the image

 

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

Materials used:

• White A2/C6, 250gsm, card and matching sized envelope
• Two pieces of white card cut to fit
• One piece of textured (DCWV) crushed strawberry card, cut to mat
• Aall & Create image (set #140) stamped using Versafine Clair nocturne ink
• TCP sentiment (S-5845-CL) stamped using Versafine purple delight ink
• Imagination Crafts stencil (MU17) placed over my image and the flower head protected with a little low tack tape before applying Memento rosebud ink through the stencil
• Faber Castell polychromos pencils to colour image
• Diamond stickles added to bling up the flower head and stem

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

1. AAA Cards - challenge No. 143 - ONE CORNER + (optional) FLOWERS
2. Simply Less Is More - challenge No. 398 - SPOTS - 2nd entry but I had to delete it as I realised (TOO LATE) it was supposed to be a ONE LAYER CARD - oops!
3. Crafts Galore - challenge No. 64 - ANYTHING GOES
4. Just For Fun Rubber Stamp Challenge - June challenge - USE A STENCIL
5. Tuesday Throwdown - challenge No. 434 - KEEP IT SIMPLE

  

Watch out! Here comes another week!

Morning readers,

Hope you all enjoyed your weekend - I nipped across to meet a pal in Swindon, we met at Snazzy's where, as per usual, Val was most welcoming and her hubby kindly made us coffee too!. Once we'd had a shop and a natter, it was off for lunch and further natter.

In the meantime, I've managed a foray to the Table of Craftiness, now, I DO love to layer stamps and today's make is no exception - check it out below

My Artist Trading Card

And a closer view of the image panel detail

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippets of card in navy and orange textured card and plain white
• Nesting rectangle and banner dies
• Inks used: Versafine Clair twilight, Memento dandelion, tangelo, rosebud and London fog
• Stamps used: StudioLight Grunge #5, CardzTV "Just Sayin", Craft Emotions 130501/1237 "Herbs and Branches" and Creative Expressions CEC851 "Inspiring Edges" - I can't use these chevrons enough, so very versatile!

And these were my snippets

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

1. Pixies's Crafty Workshop - challenge No. 355 - USE SNIPPETS
2. Crafting With An Attitude - challenge No. 52 - ANYTHING GOES
3. Penny's Paper Crafty Challenges - challenge No. 435 - ANYTHING GOES
4. Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - challenge No. 108 - ANYTHING GOES
5. The Corrosive Challenge - challenge No. 6 - ANYTHING GOES

And, whilst I had the Craft Emotions set out on my desk ....

My card .... a CASE of Cornelia Wenokor's work - see credit below

 

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

Materials used:

• White A2/C6, 250gsm, card and matching sized envelope
• Two pieces of white card cut to fit
• One piece of yellow card, cut to mat
• Low tack tape, to mask off my panel ... and, yes, I deliberately made my edges at those angles and my sentiment too!
• With my masked area secure I applied Distress Inks in squeezed lemonade, spiced marmalade and picked raspberry, using a mini blender
• Removing my tape from the top of my panel I stamped my Craft Emotions images (from 130501/1237 "Herbs and Branches" ) using comparable inks - in this case Memento canteloupe. tangelo and rosebud
• I replaced my tape across the top of my panel and applied a quick spray of Crafters Companion Seal and Shine, to protect those water based Distress Inks.
• I stamped my TCP sentiment (from S-5845-CL) using Versafine Clair twilight ink, I chose the blue as I thought black would be too stark against the "tone on tone" panel

I so much admired a card made by Cornelia, for Katzelkraft, on facebook recently and it inspired me to put my own twist on her idea ... I'd like to think Cornelia won't be thinking I've directly copied her and have actually just used her card as a spring board. Do pop along and check out her stunning card here. I wish I had her talent and, often, her fab collection of images too! Since the germ of inspiration was Cornelia's rather than my own, I won't be entering this for any challenges.

Sunday and an unusual day for me to be posting

Morning readers,

Been a while since I posted on a Sunday but .... my excuse is that I was out pretty much all day yesterday so didn't get to my usual Saturday challenge until later in the evening. It was far too late to post then so .... I'll share my stash shopping from yesterday and then, below that, my crafting make

 

I shopped here ... and bought this little lot

Right, on to the crafting make .... if you think the sentiment is on the wonk ... it's actually straight IRL

My ONE LAYER CARD

 

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

Materials used:

• White 5" x 7", 300gsm, card and matching sized envelope
• Dutchdoobadoo stencil (470.715.129) through which I applied Memento rhubarb stalk ink, using an Aldo stencil brush
• Studio Light image (grunge5 SL341) and TCP sentiment (S-5845-CL) stamped using Versafine Clair nocturne ink

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

1. Simply Less Is More - challenge No. 398 - SPOTS + the dreaded OLC
2. Creative Friday - challenge No. 233 - CAS (Clean And Simple)
3. Alphabet Challenge - June 21st - GRUNGE or GLITZ ... no prizes for guessing which!
4. Crafty Catz - challenge No. 467 - ANYTHING GOES + (optional) CIRCLES
5. Moving Along With The Times - challenge No. 100 - CAS (see above)

Saturday and another chance to craft!

Morning readers,

After a pretty soggy week ... I'm HOPING for some sunshine but .... will I be disappointed?

I have had NO CHOICE (honestly, well ... that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it) but to spend more time crafting and reading - it was that or shop online for a snorkel and flippers!

My Artist Trading Card

A closer view of the image panel

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippets of card in lavender (DCWV textured) and white
• WRMK nesting rectangle dies used to cut the ATC and image panels
• Before die cutting my image panel I blended Distress Inks in squeezed lemonade and picked raspberry before selecting the section I wanted to use and die cutting my panel
• Dylusions sentiment (from DYB65401) stamped using Versafine Clair purple delight ink
• Craft Emotions foliagae (from 130501/1143 "branches") stamped using Versafine Clair nocturne ink
• Paper Artsy cross hatched border (from JOFY12) stamped using Memento grey flannel ink
• Finally, a quick application of Crafters Companion Spray and Shine - to protect the water based Distress Inks in transit

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

1. Crafty Sentiments - June 18th challenge - ANYTHING GOES
2. Through The Craft Room Door - June 18th challenge - ANYTHING GOES
3. Everybody Art - challenge No. 449 - ANYTHING GOES
4. Happy Little Stampers - June challenge - ANYTHING GOES - WITH DIES .. hard to imagine but this is my 4th entry!
5. Addicted to Stamps - challenge No. 346 - ANYTHING (stamps) GOES