Saturday and that means, it's the weekend!

Morning readers

I've a make to share with you today .... I made my first ever postcard a week or so ago and found I quite enjoyed it so thought I'd make more. I also discovered that I have at least FOUR stamps that read "Postcard" or "Carte postale" too - who knew! I've now used three of them so you might want to keep an eye open to see how long it is before I get to use the fourth ... it's from Crafty Individuals!

The front of my post card

The reverse of my post card, I think I like this font best of all, though,
perhaps I'd like it just a tiny bit smaller!

Materials used:

• White card folded in half and stuck together before cutting to 6" x 4" - standard postcard size
• Paper Artsy sentiment and image (from JOFY09) stamped using Versafine Clair nocturne and morning mist inks
• Hampton Arts "Post Card" sentiment (from Vintage Icons CR020) stamped using Versafine Clair morning mist ink
• Fine liner Faber Castell pitt pen to draw the line defining message from address
• Marvy le plume alcohol marker and a selection of sharpie pens used to colour

 

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

1. Addicted to Stamps and More - ANYTHING GOES
2. The Paper Shelter - challenge No. 429 - FLOWER POWER
3. Crafty Creations - challenge No. 409 - ANYTHING GOES
4. The Card Concept - challenge No. 136 - BRIGHT FLOWERS
5. PaperBabe - challenge No. 120 - QUOTES

 

And a rather colourful Artist Trading Card ....... using the fabulous Christmas stamps from Paper Artsy .. ZA51, I received them as a gift recently and I just KNEW it wouldn't be long before I had inked up all of the images and today sees the last one receiving ink - Yee Haa!

My ATC

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippets of leftover card in white and Paper Mill intense red
• Paper Artsy image (from ZA51) stamped using Versafine Clair nocturne ink
• Coloured using a mix of Sharpie pens and Marvy le plume alcohol markers
• Anita's dimensional gloss for the eyes and Stardust stickles to bling up the stars!

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

1. Stampotique - challenge No. 349 - ANYTHING GOES
2. Penny's Paper Crafty - challenge No. 472 - ANYTHING GOES
3. The House That Stamps Built - challenge No. 2720 - ANYTHING GOES
4. Colour Crazy - challenge No. 21 - ANYTHING (hand coloured) GOES
5. Creative Fingers - challenge No. 187 - ANYTHING GOES

Don't believe one person would need all of those "post card" images? Hmmmmm one turned up in a VERY unlikely set of Christmas stamps - check out the options .... Dark Room Door, Hampton Art, Crafty Individuals and even a cheapie set from WHAT!

And let's not forget this set from Correspondence Art that I used a week or so ago but forgot about when photographing the options .. taking my total to FIVE!!!!! Time to thin out perhaps?

Woo Hoo! - it's Friday, like that's making a difference at the moment!

Morning readers,

Welcome to my Friday post and a special welcome to my latest follower, RachelleS .... not seeing a link to your blog but if you'd like to leave me a comment with your blog address I'll happily add a link.

I've a make to share with you today .... now, before you say anything ... I KNOW cows don't occur in this colour naturally but ... doesn't she look cool? Anyone else thinking Ermintrude from the Magic Roundabout? I recently acquired the set of stamps featuring the fabulous cow (and other images) along with the stencil used so ... I do love to use NBUS

My Artist Trading Card

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippets of leftover card in white and metallic bronze (DCWV)
• Paper Artsy cow image (from ZA51 but minus tree hat) stamped using Versafine Clair nocturne ink
• Marvy le plume II alcohol markers and fineline sharpie pens to colour image
• Using an Aldi stencil brush I lightly brushed Memento rosebud ink around the stamped image and then, placing my Paper Artsy stencil (PS034) over my snippet I brushed the rosebud ink through some of the smaller swirly circles
• CardzTV sentiment (from "Just Saying") stamped using Versafine Clair purple delight ink
• Stardust stickles to highlight and Anita's dimensional gloss on the eyes, bow and lips!

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

1. NBUS - challenge No. 14 - USE NBUS (Never Before Used Schtuff)
2. Simon Says Stamp - challenge No. 73 - ANYTHING GOES
3. Crafty Creations - challenge No. 409 - ANYTHING GOES
4. Through The Craft Room Door - May 26th challenge - ANYTHING GOES
5. CardzTV - challenge No. 115 - ANYTHING GOES

I'm super disappointed this weekend as I SHOULD be crafting with pals BUT, all is not lost, we all have the same stamp set in our possession and the challenge is to make as many projects using as many of the stamps as possible ... stand by to see a number of makes using this rather fab set of stamps.

It's Wednesday, what's left to say!

Morning readers,

Why is it that, as soon as the weather warms up ... I want to make Christmas cards? There's simply no logic, is there?!?!?

I've a make to share with you today .... yes, it's a CHRISTMAS card but, in my defence, I got new stash for my recent birthday so ..... had to get inked - didn't it? These cows are, IMHO, fabulous and I suspect it won't be long before I find that I have inked them all!

My card

And a closer view of the colouring/sparkle and shine

  

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

Materials used:

• White C6/A2, 250gsm card and matching sized envelope
• Two pieces of white card cut to fit
• One piece of 240gsm Paper Mill intense red card, cut to mat
• Paper Artsy image and sentiment (from Birthday stash ZA51) stamped using Versafine nocturne and tulip red inks
• Various Pro Markers and fineline sharpies used to colour image
• Stardust stickles and Anita's dimensional gloss to finish off my project

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

1. NBUS - challenge No. 14 - USE NBUS (Never Before Used Schtuff)
2. Crafty Hazelnuts - challenge No. 491 - ANYTHING (Christmas) GOES
3. Crafting Happiness - challenge No. 50 - ANYTHING GOES + (optional) RED
4. Christmas With The Cuties - challenge No. 38 - ANYTHING GOES + (optional) USE RIBBONS AND BOWS
5. The Holly and Ivy - challenge No. 72 - ANYTHING (Christmas) GOES

And here's a card I made to "CASE" a card sent to me by the talented Lauren Hatwell, she doesn't blog much these days but check out her awesome talent here. I had some of the images she used on my card (given me by another talented pal, Sarn) and to such great effect ... so, this is my humble homage .....

Materials used:

• Orange C6/A2, 300gsm card and matching envelope
• Two white card panels cut to  fit
• One black card panel, cut to mat
• Stamps used: Carabelle SA60118, Studiolight SL340, TCP S.5845.CL and Recollections "monsters", fussy cut out once coloured and run through my Xyron sticker maker to apply edhasive
• Inks used: Versafine Clair nocturne and Memento tangelo
• Colouring Medium: Marvy le plume and copic alcohol markers

Naturally, I won't be entering this for any challenges since it's not my own original but .... here's Lauren's inspirational original

It's Monday, it's Rudolph Day - yee haa!

Morning readers,

Despite being a Public Holiday in the UK (which usually means rain!) it looks like being not only a lovely day today but ... a really rather nice week, weather wise! ENJOY but stay safe.

It's that time again, Rudolph Day ... when a crafters thoughts turn to Christmas projects in an attempt to ensure there are enough hand made cards in the collection for this coming Christmas. I'm doing pretty well with this years quota and think I may even be working on 2021!!! Anyway, please see my Christmas make below ........

My red, white and blue Christmas card!

 

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

Materials used:

• White C6/A2, 250gsm card and matching sized envelope
• Two pieces of 300gsm smooth white PaperMill card cut to fit
• One piece of 240gsm PaperMill intense red card, cut to mat
• Snippets of both of the above card stock for my image panel and matting
• On my white snippet (and using a Tim Holtz mini blender) I applied Distress Inks in stormy sky, chipped sapphire and blueprint sketch
• Inkadinkado silhouette (from 60-30984 "Holiday Silhouette) placed in to my MISTI and then stamped using Versafine Clair nocturne ink - repeating till I was happy with the density of black .... I didn't do this anywhere except on the snippet for my card front.
• A quick spritz of Crafters Companion Spray and Shine - to protect the water based inks
• Once assembled and matted on to my card front I stamped the Hero Arts sentiment (from CL-343) using Versafine Clair nocturne ink
• Crystal stickles applied to bling up the snowflakes!

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

1. Scraps of Life - May Rudolph Day - ANYTHING (Christmas) GOES
2. Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Challenge - challenge No. 491 - ANYTHING (Christmas) GOES + (optional) theme USE SILVER
3. Sweet Stampin - May 23rd challenge - ANYTHING BUT A SQUARE
4. Jingle Belles - May 22nd challenge - BLING ON THE HOLIDAYS ... stickles on the snow!
5. Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - challenge No. 132 - ANYTHING GOES

I recently celebrated a birthday (nothing major but I AM the oldest I've ever been!) and would like to thank everyone who took the time to send me a card and/or gift, THANK YOU, I appreciated each and every thoughtful card and present.

My gifties - who knew how happy I would be to receive three handmade face masks

Saturday and it's the weekend! Have a good one

Morning readers,

I'm told it was a wet and wild night last night and still blowy this morning .... the weather didn't waken me at all!! It must have been because I'd had a few restless nights in a row - I slept like a log!

I've a make to share with you today ....

My card

 

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

Materials used:

• White C6/A2, 250gsm card and matching sized envelope
• Two pieces of white card cut to fit
• One piece of DCWV textured hot pink card, cut to fit and the leftover snippet used to mat the sentiment/image panel
• Snippet of white card, the width of my card front
• I ran the card front panel through my big shot inside my "swiss dots" embossing folder
• Placing my snippet strip of white card in my MISTI and adding the magnets I stamped my Honey Bee heart (from HBST218) using Ranger Archival vibrant fuchsia ink ..... I had to stamp it several times before I achieved a vibrant result I was happy with .... repeated this process elsewhere on the card and envelope
• TCP sentiment (from S.5845.CL) stamped using Versafine Clair morning mist ink
• My image panel (once matted on to the hot pink textured card strip) was attached to my dotty card front using dimensional foam tape .... seen below in the photo and which I've had for about 30 years!!! - STILL STICKY
• Stardust stickles to bling up my heart

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

1. Simply Less Is More - challenge No. 420 - GOING DOTTY .... and, as is so blooming often the case ... I made it photographed it, posted it, entered it and THEN realised it was ONE LAYER WEEK - guess I'll be heading over to delete my entry in a moment!
2. CraftyCatz - challenge No. 507 - SPOTS or STRIPES
3. Alphabet Challenge - May 22nd challenge - "D" is for DRY EMBOSSING
4. QKR Stampede - challenge No. 399 - ANYTHING GOES
5. CardzTV - challenge No. 115 - ANYTHING GOES

And an Artist Trading Card ......

My Artist Trading Card

And a closer view - you may just be able to make out the
three faux crystal gemstones

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippets of leftover card in linen textured burgundy, white and black
• Penny Black image (from "Allegro") stamped using Distress Oxide antique linen ink .... I used my MISTI to enable me to make three impressions to get the clearest image
• Once my image was dry I assembled my ATC and then added three tiny faux crystal gemstones, to flower centres

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

1. Through The Purple Haze - challenge No. 167 - ANYTHING GOES + optional twist of BLACK AND WHITE
2. Scrapping4Fun - challenge No. 167 - ANIMALS/FLOWERS
3. Creative Fingers - challenge No. 186 - ANYTHING GOES

And another ATC ...... using the same image and ink but .....

My Artist Trading Card - this is the best colour representation but...
the close up below shows the details better

 Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippets of leftover card in cream and kraft
• On the Kraft snippet I stamped the Penny Black "Allegro" image using Distress Oxide in antique linen ... if you're sensing a bit of a pattern I ONLY have D.O.'s in Antique linen and Candied apple!
• Sprinkling with clear embossing powder and shaking off the excess before heat setting
• Using a Tim Holtz mini blending tool and a foam pad I applied Distress Ink in tea dye working in from the outer edge, leaving a kind of "halo" around the image. I changed to aged mahogany and added a little "warmth" to my background inking.
• Placing my Memory Box stencil (88517) I added more ink from my blending tool (without re-inking) through the stencil, still leaving the area immediately around my imge free
• A quick application of Crafters Companion Spray and Shine, to protect the water based inks

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

1. Moving Along With The Times - challenge No. 118 - FLOWERS
2. Southern Girls - May 14th challenge - ANYTHING GOES
3. Simply Create Too - challenge No. 160 - FLOWERS

OK, so ... it was back to the drawing board on the Simply Less Is More challenge - I've lost count of the number of times I have MISSED the bit about it being ONE LAYER! Seconds out, round two!

My ONE LAYER card!

 

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

Materials used:

• White C6/A2, 250gs, card and matching sized envelope
• One piece of white card, cut to fit - as my insert
• That Special Touch stencil (Distressed dots) through which I applied Memento rosebud ink using an Aldi Stencil brush
• Clearly Inspired allium image (from LCS100 Brushed flowers) stamped using Versafine Clair nocturne ink
• HLS sentiment (from doodled flowers) stamped using Versafine Clair morning mist ink

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

1. Simply Less Is More - challenge No. 420 - GOING DOTTY and ONE LAYER