TGIF - hope you have something nice planned for the weekend!

Morning readers,

I've a make to share with you today ... another Artist Trading Card but a little different from other recent makes, this one's almost psychedelic! And rather textural too, with those "dollops" of glitter glue! I used a super set from Inkadinkado's "stamping gears" range .. though I'm not even sure I know where the "gears" mechanism is any more!

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippets of card in black and white
• Inkadinkado "stamping gears" image (from 65-32085) stamped multiple times using Memento tuxedo black ink
• Alcohol markers (a mix of Pro Markers and Copics) used to colour the images and background
• MFT sentiment (from CS.74) stamped on to another white snippet, using Versafine Clair nocturne ink, which I then cut out (leaving a narrow border) before adhering to my ATC
• Stardust stickles to add some sparkle and texture

 

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

1. The Little Things - challenge No. 08 - ANYTHING GOES
2. Love to Craft - challenge No. 94 - ANYTHING GOES
3. GirlzRebel - challenge No. 56 - ANYTHING GOES
4. Crafters Cafe - challenge No. 334 - ANYTHING GOES + (optional) LOTS OF COLOURS
5. Creative Crafters - challenge No. 104 - ANYTHING GOES

Monday, another week - make it a good one!

Morning readers,

Hope you all enjoyed your weekend - did the weather put a damper on your plans? We were dog sitting and had to keep a towel by both the front and back door!

I've a make to share with you today ... another Artist Trading Card - I am woefully short of them, rather like I've fallen behind on my Christmas card quota too ... guess you know what you'll be starting to see a lot of in the near future then!??!

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippets of card in red and white
• Clearly Besotted sentiment (from "Hang around") stamped using Versafine Clair nocturne ink
• Amazon unbranded "swipe" (from STO19181) stamped twice using Versafine Clair paradise ink
• Inkadinkado Santa and Sleigh image (from 60-30984) stamped using Versafine Clair nocturne ink
• Marvy le plume II alcohol marker (red), to edge the ATC
• Stardust stickle "stars"

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

1. Merry Little Christmas - challenge No. 70 - ANYTHING CHRISTMAS GOES
2. Love to Craft - challenge No. 94 - ANYTHING GOES
3. Creative Fingers - challenge No. 329 - ANYTHING GOES
4. CraftyCatz - challenge No. 719 - ANYTHING GOES
5. The Little Things - challenge No. 08 - SQUIRREL or ANYTHING GOES

I was a lucky TOP3 over at Addicted to CAS for their challenge No. 315 - ANNIVERSARY, thanks so much peeps, I really appreciate it.

TGIF! Here comes the weekend!

Morning readers,

I've a make to share with you today ... an Artist Trading Card which used rather a lot of snippets, giving quite a lot of texture to my ATC too!

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippets of card: black, white, grey, grey/green, red and monochrome Designer Paper
• Inkadinkado image (from 60-30164) stamped on to white snippet using Versafine Clair nocturne ink
• Faber Castell polychromos pencils used to colour image
• Stardust stickles - to add some sparkle and texture to the bloom

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

1. Little Red Wagon - challenge No. 875 - USE A STAMP
2. Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday challenge - ADD SOME TEXTURE
3. Word Art Wednesday - challenge No. 768/9 - ANYTHING GOES (the word is "friendship"
4. Ellibelle's Garden Party - challenge No. 19 - ANYTHING IN OR FROM THE GARDEN
5. Everybody Art - challenge No. 605 - ATC (Artist Trading Card)

I was a lucky top pick over at Kleuren met Potloden for their August challenge, thank you so much, glad you liked my make

Monday again - have a good week

Morning readers,

Hope you all enjoyed your weekend, for us it was a weekend with zero plans so ... we just took it gently!

I've a make to share with you today ... an Artist Trading Card using some of my box FULL of snippets, ranging in size from the tiny to the not quite card size! I intend to try and use the entire pile of the snippets in the photo below my materials list - wish me luck!

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippets of card: Plain black/white and polka dot/Congratulations designer paper - from the selection in the photo below
• Inkadinkado coneflower image (from 60-30164 "flowers" - from before 2021 though I can't say how much before!) stamped on to a white snippet using Versafine Clair nocturne ink, coloured using Faber Castell Polychromos pencils and then cut out, leaving a white border
• Stardust stickles, to add a little sparkle to the flower and surrounding polka dots

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

1. Snippets Playground - challenge No. 540 - USE SNIPPETS
2. Paper-Rocks-Scissors - challenge No. 20 - ANYTHING GOES but MUST use paper and scissors
3. Creative Fingers - challenge No. 328 - ANYTHING GOES
4. Creative Knockouts - challenge No. 578 - LOTS OF LAYERS (5 here)
5. Polkadoodles - challenge No. 9 - ANYTHING GOES

TGIF - hope you all have something nice to look forward to at the weekend.

Morning readers,

I've a make to share with you today ... another Artist Trading Card.

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippets of card in kraft and white
• Using a Tim Holtz mini domed blender I applied Distress Inks: Broken China, Salty ocean and Chipped sapphire. I added highlights with Blueprint sketch
• I sprayed some water on to my fingers before "flicking" on to my ATC, giving it time to develop (i.e. lift colour) before mopping the excess with paper towel and setting aside to dry
• Rubbadubbadoo pocket watch image (I've had for so long ... it says 2002 on the side but no sign of a reference) stamped using Versafine Clair nocturne ink
• A quick spritz of Crafters Companion spray and shine, to protect the water based inks

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

1. Tagalong and ATC's - Sept challenge - CIRCLES or ANYTHING GOES ... there are numerous circles on my pocket watch
2. Love to Craft - challenge No. 94 - ANYTHING GOES
3. Creative Fingers - challenge No. 328 - ANYTHING GOES
4. Retro Rubber - challenge No. 279 - ANYTHING GOES
5. Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday challenge - STAMP IT

I'm quite behind with my Christmas cards this year but, having been selected as a TOP3 over at the August Rudolph Day challenge, I HOPE it might bump start my Christmas mojo - thanks so much to the design team

Monday - Woo Hoo! A fresh, new week!

Morning readers,

I hope you are enjoying your Bank Holiday weekend (in the UK), shame about the weather but ... it's been so long since it's rained that I almost wanted to just stand out in it!

I've a make to share with you today ... this was one of those that started with the sentiment and then the pocket watch ... it looked like it needed something extra so I added the ink and then the clock faces .... on reflection the clock faces should have been less intrusive but hey .... it COULD have worked! You have to try these things .... don't you?

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippets of card in white and black
• Close To My Heart sentiment and clock face (from D1257) stamped using Versafine Clair nocturne and morning mist inks
• Handprints pocket watch image (C2016) stamped using Versafine Clair nocturne ink
• Using a Tim Holtz mini blender that still had some brown/red Distress Inks on ... I applied a light layer of colour to the ATC, taking as much care as possible to not over ink the pocket watch
• A quick spritz of Crafters Companion Spray and Shine, to protect the Distress Inks

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

1. Polkadoodles - challenge No. 8 - ANYTHING GOES
2. Gem of a challenge - challenge No. 8 - ANYTHING GOES
3. Creative Fingers - challenge No. 328 - ANYTHING GOES
4. Pattie's Creations - challenge No. 245 - ANYTHING GOES
5. Creative Inspirations - August challenge - ANYTHING GOES

TGIF peeps, another weekend looms large!

Morning readers,

I've a make to share with you today ... I sometimes forget how therapeutic I find blending inks, this just reminded me. It was, however, not without issues as I dropped my vintage photo ink pad as I was packing up my ink pads. We crafters hate waste and I did NOT want to start the project again so ... I whipped out my mini ink pad (in ground espresso) and added a few more "corners" to make it look deliberate, what do you think? Did it work?

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippets of card in kraft and white
• Distress Inks used: Antique linen, Pumice stone, Tea dye, Vintage photo, Fired brick and Ground espresso - blended with a Tim Holtz mini blender and domed pad
• Once dry, I stamped the Craft Stamper free sentiment (remember those? - I haven't read Craft Stamper in over 5 years so this has to be older than that!) "Tempus fugit" and the Art Impressions clock face (J-2611 - reckon this is 15+ years old) using Versafine Clair nocturne ink
• Finally, a quick spritz of Crafters Companion Spray and Shine, to protect those water based inks

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

1. Tagalong and ATC's - August challenge - FASHION or ANYTHING GOES
2. The Little Things - challenge No. 07 - MERMAIDS or ANYTHING GOES
3. Retro Rubber - challenge No. 279 - ANYTHING GOES (using older stash) 
4. Crafting Happiness - August challenge - BACK TO SCHOOL or ANYTHING GOES
5. Everybody Art - challenge No. 604 - ANYTHING GOES

Monday - here comes another week!

Morning readers,

Hope you've had a great weekend and that the weather didn't interfere with your plans, take care everyone.

I've a make to share with you today ... a little Artist Trading Card but (unusually for me) using a coloured background. I wasn't sure how the green pencil would come out on the black card so I coloured with white first - seemed to work!

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippet of black card to fit my ATC blank
• Using Versamark embossing ink I stamped the Crafty Roo image ("Celia full bloom") before sprinkling with gold embossing powder and heat setting
• I used Faber Castell polychromos pencils to colour my image
• MFT sentiment (from CS.74) stamped using Versafine Clair nocturne ink
• I fussy cut the sentiment and adhered to my ATC using dimensional foam pads ... cut in half to make them fit!

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

1. Snippets Playground - challenge No. 539 - USE SNIPPETS
2. The Little Things - challenge No. 07 - ANYTHING GOES
3. As You Like It - August 13th challenge - FAVE COLOURING MEDIUM and WHY! I love using pencils, I find blending from one colour to another so much easier - that and I'm rubbish with water colours!
4. Beautiful Blossoms - challenge No. 44 - ANYTHING FLORAL GOES + (optional) MOOD BOARD

TGIF peeps! The weekend approaches!

Morning readers,

I've a make to share with you today ... another ATC on the theme of "TRANSPORT"

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippets of card in white and a random piece of packaging, coloured light blue using Versafine Clair paradise ink
• Snippets of card to die cut a circle and both the positive and negative used as a mask/stencil
• Inkadinkado motorcycle image (96346-k) stamped using Versafine Clair nocturne ink
• With the circle "mask" in place I used a makeup brush to add a light covering of Versafine Clair paradise ink before overlaying the Clearly Besotted "clouds" stencil and adding the clouds using the paradise ink
• Removing the circle "mask" I placed the circle stencil before adding some Distress Oxide in lost shadow (grey), taking care to avoid the image.
• Then I overlaid the Clearly Besotted row of houses (from the "up my street" mask/stencil set) and adding a further layer of the lost shadow
• Tim Holtz sentiment (from THMM113) stamped using Versafine Clair nocturne ink

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

1. The Little Things - challenge No. 06 - FLAMING/ELEPHANT or ANYTHING GOES
2. Love to Craft - challenge No. 93 - ANYTHING GOES
3. Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday challenge - ANYTHING GOES

I was a lucky TOP PICK recipient over at Krafty Chicks yesterday, for my entry to their recent MASCULINE challenge - thank you so much. My Congratulations to my fellow TOP PICKS too

Wonderful Wednesday!

Morning readers,

I've a make to share with you today ... the idea to use a plane image may even have been sparked by the recent Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippets of card in black and white
• Tim Holtz plane image (from THMM105) and sentiment (from CMS155) both stamped using Versafine Clair nocturne ink
• Using a makeup brush and Versafine Clair paradise ink, I applied a light covering of ink, taking care to go close to but not over the plane image
• Placing my Clearly Besotted cloud stencil I used the paradise ink to add the "sky"

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

1. Stencil Fun - July challenge - ANYTHING GOES + (optional) PATTERNS
2. Love to Craft - challenge No. 93 - ANYTHING GOES
3. The Little Things - challenge No. 066 - FLAMINGO/ELEPHANT/ANYTHING GOES
4. Tagalong and ATC's - July challenge - FAVOURITE COLOUR OR ANYTHING GOES
5. Pammie's Inky Pinkies - challenge No. 2629 - ANYTHING GOES

I was a TOP3 over at The Little Things recently, thanks so much peeps, I do appreciate it

Wednesday once more ...

Morning readers,

I've a make to share with you today ... an inky little Artist Trading Card, with some white embossing - striking!.

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippets of card in white and hot pink
• Using my round mini blending tools (and domed foam pads) I applied Distress Inks in: mustard seed, salty ocean and picked raspberry, blending the inks at the joins. I set aside to dry thoroughly before proceeding
• Cart-US bee image (001883/1060) stamped using Versafine embossing ink, liberally sprinkled with Funstamps white embossing powder and shaking off the excess before heat setting
• Tim Holtz sentiment (from THMM113) stamped using Versafine Clair nocturne ink
• I felt it needed a little something extra on the blue and pink panels so ... using the same distress inks I applied a further layer of colour through the stencil from the THMM113 set
• A quick spritz of Crafters Companion spray and shine - to protect the water based inks and then, all that was left was to add some stardust stickles to add some sparkle to my bees wings!

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

1. Little Things - challenge No. 06 - ANYTHING GOES + (optional) FLAMINGO / ELEPHANT
2. Stencil Fun - July challenge - ANYTHING GOES + (optional) PATTERNS
3. Crafting Happiness - July challenge - ANYTHING GOES + (optional) RED / WHITE / BLUE
4. I Spy with my little eye - challenge No. 39 - THINGS WITH WINGS

Saturday - have a fab weekend - got plans?

Morning readers,

Hope you are all managing to get by during this heatwave but ... boy, is it warm? What's your best tip to stay cool?

I've a make to share with you today ... an Artist Trading Card. I needed to make two with a theme of butterflies ... you can see my other one here. For a change I used embossing folders on both ATC's but they turned out quite different to one another, I do hope the recipient will like them both.

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippets of card in white, orange, burnt orange (circle) and black (brick effect)
• Unbranded faux stitched nesting circle dies and unbranded faux brick die
• Chocolate Baroque butterfly (free with Craft Stamper) stamped on to a white snippet using Versafine Clair nocturne ink, once dry I fussy cut round the butterfly and then traced the inked lines with stardust stickles, for some serious sparkle!
• I ran my burnt orange snippet through my Big Shot with the faux stitched circle die and then again ran the circle through inside the Provo Craft foliage embossing folder
• The unbranded brick die was used to cut a section of "wall" using a black snippet of card
• MFT sentiment (from CS.74) stamped on to a snippet of white card using Versafine Clair nocturne ink, cut out with scissors and then mounted on to a snippet of bright orange before attaching with dimensional foam tape

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

1. Can You Handle The Pressure - July challenge - ANYTHING GOES (with an embossing folder) + (optional) STARS AND STRIPES
2. Snippets Playground - challenge No. 536 - USE SNIPPETS
3. Cardz4Galz - challenge No. 280 - FOR A FRIEND or FRIENDSHIP
4. The Little Things - challenge No. 6 - ANYTHING GOES + (optional) FLAMINGO and/or ELEPHANT
5. GirlzRebel - challenge No. 54 - GLITTER

TGIF peeps! Have a good one!

Morning readers,

I've a make to share with you today ... an Artist Trading Card and definitely NOT Clean And Simple!

Stamped and Stencilled - then embossed & 3D'd

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippets of card in white and in Costco double sided pack, plain side used
• Finnabair butterfly ( from 965389) stamped twice, once on to my ATC front panel and once on to a snippet of white card (which I then fussy cut out as I intended to mount in 3D fashion)
• Using a makeup brush and Brilliance pearlescent jade ink, I applied a light layer of colour to my ATC front panel, taking care to avoid the butterfly image
• Overlaying my Aall & Create stencil (#70) I added a further layer of the jade ink, again, taking care not to ink over the butterfly
• I then ran my ATC front panel through my Big Shot inside the Provocraft "swiss dots" embossing folder, to give some extra texture and interest
• Using a bone folder, I marked the edges of my butterflies body both sides and creased crisply, to give my glue something to stick to.
• Stardust stickles to add some sparkle to the wings.
• Once dry, I applied glue to just the body of the butterfly and adhered it - to give a 3D image - directly over the image stamped on my ATC front
• Tim Holtz "small talk" sentiment (cut in to two pieces) and with extra glue to assist the adhesion over the embossed front

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

1. Paper, Rocks Scissors - challenge No. 18 - ANYTHING GOES .. but MUST use paper and scissors
2. Love to Craft - challenge No. 93 - ANYTHING GOES
3. Word Art Wednesday - challenge No's 760/761 - ANYTHING GOES
4. Triple B - July challenge - ANYTHING GOES WITH 1 or more BIRDS, BUTTERFLIES or BLOOMS
5. Stencil Fun - July challenge - ANYTHING STENCILLED GOES + (optional) PATTERNS