Joy Wreath dies

Hello there. Having time to craft today, I started off with one project – and came up with this one. Does that happen to anyone else?

It’s only a few more days until I begin my first challenge as Design Team member for the ABC Christmas Challenge, but in the meantime I have this card for you:

I was looking for some holly stamps – for some reason I don’t have many that I could put my hands on – then I remembered my Catherine Pooler ‘box’. I have a whole storage box where I put my Catherine Pooler stamps and dies – there is a bunch of stamps I’ve never used, and I came across this die set from the Winterhaven collection.

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m learning all about alcohol markers – Spectrum Illustrators and Copics. I recently bought some Copics from Ebay – and I really, really see the attraction. What amazing pens these are – totally fallen for them. And – I think I’ve developed a ‘full set’ syndrome……help me now!

I’ve been doing a little internet searching and currently reading all about Copics from the Copic Marker Tutorial page, and the Kit and Clowder tutorials. Still not feeling relaxed and chilled when colouring, but enjoying the process of learning.

This card is made from the die cut wreath, with the individual parts coloured simply with Copics, and adhered to the card base.

The sentiment is cut from a Copic coloured piece of card, with several layers underneath for just that little dimension.

I may have to return to my craft room to complete the project I was initially going to do – I think I can manage that. :) :)

I shall be entering this card into the following challenges:

Stamplorations CAS card challenge – CAS with option to use green

CASology – CAS Holly

Indigo Blu Snowman

Hello everyone. I hope you managed to enjoy the festive period in whichever way you chose, and hopefully looking forward to the New Year.

I haven’t had much time to put a card together, though did manage a little crafting, just not to make anything in particular. I have been spending some time thinking about up-coming challenges for the ABC Christmas Challenge – as I will be on the Design Team for the next 6 months!! Yay!! My first Design Team position – and it means making Christmas cards every month – a win-win situation for me. Hopefully, you will be able to join us.

The card below was one I put together whilst having a sort-out of some of my Christmas crafting boxes:

It incorporates some distress oxide blending, masking, a little stamping – and generally getting a little messy! That always happens when I ink blend, and especially when using a mask. If the ink isn’t all over my hands, then it’s where I don’t want it to be, or all over my glass mat – and therefore transfers to everything!

I found this Indigo Blu snowman stamp in a box of Christmas stamps I had ‘filed’ away. Goodness knows how long I’ve had it – and it’s never been used!

I stamped the image, then stamped again on some masking paper, then went ahead with the masking and ink blending. I used a darker blue for the upper part – trying to make it look like the sky, and a lighter blue for the ‘snow’ on the ground.

I then splattered some water on it, then splattered some Gansai Tambi ‘white gold’ – and just kept splattering. More mess!

I wasn’t truly happy with how this turned out – but then I added the MFT sentiment, and it seemed to tie the whole thing together.

I left the snowman white – a little shading around the edge, and also left the little birdie white – a very monochrome card. And it’s also a one-layer card. I took on the challenge – no idea why – but I am pleased with how it all came together.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

The Library Craft Challenge – The Snowman

Watercooler challenges – anything goes

The Male Room – Masculine and the colour blue

Christmas Duo

I have two cards to share today, as I had time to craft yesterday. This morning I put in the final touches. The first card is using the colours from Color Throwdown:

As you can see, I took some craft card and stamped my newly arrived, new release ‘Snowflake Serenade‘ stamp set from Uniko. This stamp is quite large and winds around, so I stamped it a couple of times off the page, and added some extra snowflakes – all stamped and heat embossed with Wow! white embossing powder. 

I coloured the holly leaves using a green Copic marker and arranged as you see. The sentiment is also from that same stamp set.

I shall be entering this card into the following challenges:

Color Throwdown – red,green, Kraft, white

The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

This is the second card:

I think I’m getting the hang of scene cards now – with the elements at least – and really enjoy colouring little images and playing with their placement on the card base.

I don’t play too much with the actual background, but also seem to be addicted to the Lawn Fawn ‘Stitched Hillside Backdrop‘ dies…..they are really, really useful in this kind of card……….I may have to put them away shortly – but I am enjoying using them too much! I still like the look that embossing the blank cut-out piece to add some background dimension gives, too. This time I used a little folder which gave some distressed lines.

The penguins and snowman are from Heffy Doodle ‘Wanna build a snowman‘ stamp and die set – yet another I am loving using this year. I am using this stamp and die set to create a bunch of cards for my work friends and colleagues. 

This card will be entered into the following challenges: 

Watercooler Challenges – occasions

Addicted to stamps and More – make your mark

Lil red Wagon – black and white and one colour

Alphabet challenge – ‘S’ for Season’s Greetings

Ready, Set, Snow

Hello everyone. I have a big card for you today, made for the Guest Designer spot on the current challenge at 52CCT. The challenge is to use any challenge from 2017, and I chose the October 2017 theme challenge of ‘Winter Sports‘:

I stamped the images from MFT ‘Ready, Set, Snow‘ using Gina K amalgam ink, then coloured with my Copics – attempting some shading again. Once I was happy, I die cut them, then set about the scene itself.

Now – this scene took me forever to work out. I wanted a card large enough to take all my images, which meant I had to die cut the mountains and the slopes by moving the die along.

I distressed the edges of the slopes to give some dimension to the layers, and also used Distress Oxides for the sky.

I then played with the layout of my snowboarding animals, moved the tress around a little, then stuck them down. I did stamp and colour the little houses, but felt they would have been too much in the background, so I left them off.

Then – I forgot the sentiment! What to do? What to do? Shall I attempt stamping it onto my card? Dare I brave it? Well – yes – of course! I could always put a banner there if it went wrong….. :)

So – using my Misti – I took the sentiment from MFT ‘Santa and Friends‘ and stamped it. Phew! Thank good ness it worked alright.

All-in-all I think this card has taken me the longest to make for a while. I keep trying the scenes, and sometimes it works – sometimes it doesn’t. I  seem to get the layering wrong, or go too far with the elements, but I really like how this card turned out. Hubby has already nabbed it for the Christmas card for his his business partner!

I hope you are managing to play along with this challenge…… :) :)

ps – I see a little stray cat hair has got behind one of my mountains…….oh well!! They do like to keep me company when I am crafting.

Current challenge
October 2017 theme challenge

Watercolour Rose

Hello there. I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying their weekend. I have had more time to craft this past few days – but again not really getting down to making the actual cards – just the elements to go on them!

I had some fabulously fantastic news this week – I have been chosen to be part of the Design Team for the ABC Christmas Challenge for the next 6 months! My first design team position! Hugely excited. It means I can make Christmas cards all year long now – with no guilt!

I hope some of you find time to play with us……..

Now on to my card:

As you can see – I went big and bold with these colours, the current colours for Color Throwdown. Instead of colouring with alcohol markers, I went with water-colouring this time.

The Altenew ‘Leaf Frame Cover Die‘ was cut out of some coral card and some grey card and stuck together. The Altenew ‘Inked Rose‘ stamp was stamped and heat embossed with grey, then water-coloured using the Altenew water-colour pan set – red and green.

I tried to go for the messy water-colour look, as the stamp set has quite a few lines on the actual images, which themselves give some shading, I think.

This rose is very big. I almost went with a bigger card base, but I like the way the rose is the centre of attention and just grabs you from the get-go.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Color Throwdown – coral, red, green, grey

Watercooler challenges – anything feminine goes

Addicted to stamps and more – anything goes

Merry Christmoose

Hello there. Phew – it’s been a busy week. I have made time to practice my Copic colouring, but found I was colouring loads of things – but never making a card. So – here is one I made this evening:

I ink blended a background with three blue colours, and decided not to splatter or splash or change those blues, as I like how clean and almost pure it turned out. This was placed behind the Lawn Fawn backdrop die. The sentiment is from Clearly Besotted ‘Merry Christmoose’ stamp set.

Once I had stamped and Copic coloured the reindeer/moose I die cut them and stuck them down as you see. I only used a couple of colours on these images, as I am still learning about shading etc.

The trees are from MFT ‘Ready, Set, Snow‘ also coloured, die cut, and slotted into the background. This time I used three green colours – gosh…….I’m getting very fancy, aren’t I? :)

I added some sparkle to the tress and to the top of each of the hills, which is slightly showing on the photo – much better in ‘real life’.

The photo was taken in a light box I recently purchased, as I found that being able to take bright pictures at this time of year – winter, UK – is quite difficult. This is the other picture:

This is something else I’m trying to get to grips with – but I think I need a bigger box………..gonna have a look later….

So, what with the light box and colouring, it’s a learning curve at the moment for me. I bought some Copics recently, and am really loving playing with them. I also joined the Kit and Clowder Monthly Colouring Class, and even just playing with the first two lessons – video and work-sheet – I feel I have learned lots about using Copics, and using a light source. 

Here is my practice sheet:

The odd coloured berry at the top is using a different set of reds – not bright enough for me so I changed them……………I don’t think I’ve done too badly with my first lesson…..positive thinking!

I shall be entering the card into the following challenges:

The Alphabet Challenge – ‘R’ for Reindeer

Crazy 4 Challenges – a card that features a tree

Try It On Tuesday  – winter wonderland

Inkspirational challenge – anything Christmas

2 Christmas Cards

I haven’t had much time to craft the past couple of days but as I had another delivery from Seven Hills Crafts today – I just had to make time!

This first card is made from the newly arrived MFT ‘Santa and Friends‘, and Lawn Fawn ‘Stitched Hillside Backdrop‘, with the piece that fell out of the die-cut embossed and placed back into the frame.

I shall be entering the following challenges with this card:

Color Throwdown – Kraft, Brown, Green, Cream

Addicted To Stamps and More – CAS

Christmas at Sweet Stampin’ – anything goes Christmas

This second card took me a little longer – I do struggle with shaker cards – but I keep having a go at them:

I used the stamps and dies from Lawn Fawn ‘Ready, Set, Snow‘ adding Distress Glitter and glass beads in the snow globe itself, layering Kraft card which I coloured with some brown markers for some dimension, and sticking the trees inside the dome, but the snowmen outside the dome.

This was stuck down onto and piece of card I embossed with a Tattered Lace embossing folder.

This card will be entered into the following challenges:

52 Christmas Card Throwdown – snow globes

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge – Let it Snow

Crafty Sentiments Designs – Snowman

The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

Handpicked Bouquet

Hello again. I designed a card to enter the current sketch challenge at CAS Colours and Sketches:

I stamped the Altenew Handpicked Bouquet using Altenew inks, and used a Lawn Fawn ‘Lacy Borders’ for the bottom edge.

The bottom piece is MFT ‘Framework background’ stamped using a Catherine Pooler ink, then cut to the size I wanted, and placed onto a 5 inch square card.

The placement of the stamped flower, and then the two layers of card were challenging – but I don’t know why! Just one of those things I just couldn’t get my head around…..mind block!

The sentiment is from the Altenew ‘Leaf Medallion’ stamp set, and stamped in the same ink as the background stamp – I didn’t want it very bold, as I wanted the bouquet itself to shine and noticeable more than anything else.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

CAS Colours and Sketches – sketch

QKR Stampede – anything goes

Happy Birthday

Hello everyone. I think I’ve finally recovered from the three days Crafters Companion ‘Craftaganza’. Phew – what a full-on three days that was. There was ink blending, stamping, stenciling, die-cutting, foiling, sewing (not for me!!), and any number of hints and tips from the Crafters Companion ‘tutors’. 

Since being back, I have been at work, but managed to try some colouring with a new set of Copics, and found they actually blend well with the Crafters Companion Illustrator pens too – win-win situation.

Here is a card which shows my colouring:

Here is a close-up of the glittery silveryness and colouring:

I stamped the Concord and 9th ‘Grateful For Everything‘ in a newly acquired Gina K Amalgam ink – liking this for colouring with alcohol markers – then set to the colouring.

The colour scheme is from the current challenge at Color Throwdown, and the layout from the current sketch challenge at Freshly Made Sketches.

I used grey for the leaves as a ‘free’ neutral colour. The silver is a piece of glimmer card I had left over – how handy are those little strips?

I find combining a colour and a sketch challenge really helps me plan what card I want to make, and you may have noticed I have done that in the past. This time, I went away from the Christmas cards – for a short time only – and decided this would best suit a birthday theme.

I shall be entering this card into the following challenges:

Color Throwdown – red, aqua, silver

Freshly Made Sketches – sketch

Seize the Birthday – birthday with option of CAS

Watercooler Challenges – occasions

It seems WordPress has made some changes to the way you add items to a blog post, and I must say I like how much more simple it is now. I have even played and updated by challenge badge page………..I think I’m going to play with the ‘all about me’ page next – maybe add some photos……. :) :)

Snowflakes 2 ways

Hello again. I am off to a Crafters Companion weekend tomorrow, and away until Tuesday evening. Can you imagine? 3 full days of crafting? Now worries about work, no cleaning, no cooking……..Oh yes!

So before I go, I wanted to post a couple of cards I made with a snow flake theme – but different styles and different colours. The first card is for the current challenge at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown and Color Throwdown following the sketch and the colours:

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The white die-cut is from Christina Griffiths, raised on foam pads to give that added dimension behind it. The blue strip I added to the back of this so it highlighted some of the detail in the die.

The candles are from Altenew, as were the inks used for the layering. The hardest part of the layering was the blinking flames……….as they were a lighter colour, it was very difficult to line them up – but I managed!

This second card is for the current challenge at CAS Colours and Sketches and The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge:

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As you can see – I went big and bold with these colours! The die-cut snowflakes are from Uniko. I first ink blended water-colour card with ‘Broken China‘ Distress Oxide then stamped and heat embossed some snowflakes in Wow! embossing powder, then die cut the snowflakes.

The panel is Altenew ‘Layered Plaid‘ cover plate die, using only one of the two layers and embossing into the card  instead of die cutting.

I am so looking forward to meeting the Crafters Companion team in the ‘Craftaganza’, even though my bestie has had to pull out at the last minute.

Are any of you going?

:) :)