Swing by anytime….

Hello again. My crafty mojo seems to be with me after a week away on holiday. I have another card to share with you – and this one took a little planing:

I haven’t used this stamp set before, despite having it in my stash for a while, but it came to mind when I was thinking about a few challenges.

I stamped the images you see, and coloured them with Copics. I wanted a vibrant dragon, with matching little people. I then took some Distress Oxides and smooshed a panel, using colours which I felt were vibrant, but also didn’t interfere with the main images.

Using the ‘Tall Triangles‘ Reverse confetti die to cut the white card, I re-inserted one of the cut triangles in the smaller end, so it matches the sketch I am following, and stuck that down onto the inked panel.

I was toying with the idea of the dragon blowing smoke and flames etc – which are included in the stamp set – but I didn’t want him scaring the little people away……just as he is dropping by for a visit.

The sentiment is from Heffy Doodle and I thought matched perfectly, so it meant the dragon was actually a friendly one! What a story I had going on in my mind at the time – thinking about Puff The Magic Dragon – but not the sad part! (Showing my age, now!)

Guess what? I did what I normally do – and try not to – I forgot about the sentiment until I had already put the card together……and stamped it using my Misti just hoping and praying I didn’t mess it up…..I must learn to plan ahead more!

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Simply Less Is More – sketch

Addicted to CAS – Friends

Crafty Friends Challenge – animals/birds

The Library Craft Challenge – The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Santa and Candy Cane

Hello there. Having some time to craft today, despite being full of cold – and boy did that kick in this afternoon! I am glad I managed to complete this card before my eyes went……

I have tried a new thing today, well , several actually, but the main thing was colouring a digi stamp. With Copics…..! I am a total beginner with Copics, a complete novice with digi stamps, and so my morning was challenging – but in a good way. This stamp is from QKR Stampede, and I fell in love with the image as soon as I saw it……….

I am really pleased how this turned out, and even I can see the dimension on the candy cane! I have been working through some colouring classes from Kit and Clowder. The videos are very informative, and just the encouragement to give a go is enough for me to – well – give it a go.

One of the most basic for me – sometimes my Copic just belches out colour…..messes your colouring completely. The answer – take the lid off the other end of the pen! That way it gets rid of the vacuum, and no more colour belching!! Wow! Who’d’a thunk!

It’s a game changer for me – yet another tool in my box. One I will keep trying, and even try some other digi stamps – but, yes, colouring still not the most enjoyable time for me……..only for short periods, before I get stamping and die cutting withdrawal!

The sentiment is from a Honey Doo set in Rockin’ Red from Catherine Pooler.

A little closer look: (in my brand new, bigger photo box! I think I’ll make some backgrounds which are more interesting)

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Watercooler Challenges – occasions

Addicted to stamps – Holiday

QKR Stampede – anything goes

The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

Christmas at Sweet Stamping – Christmas

Just a reminder – there is still plenty of time to play at ABC Christmas Challenge – you know it’s my first ever Design Team position – with the them of ‘A’ for anything goes, and/or ‘B’ for berries – I hope to see you there. :)

Oh Happy Day

Hello there. The last day of 2018, and more time to craft. This is a quirky card following the sketch and colours from MFT.

Just one question……has anyone seen any teal sows/pigs before? Well – you are just about to!

I quite like them. Somewhat different, but I suppose that is artistic license.

These little piggies are from the MFT ‘Sow Much Cuteness’ stamp and die set I’ve had for a little while – yet another Seven Hills Crafts order – and decided to match the colours and sketch from the two challenges at MFT.

I don’t have the exact colours, but I think they will kinda almost match.

Here is another angle:

The challenges I will be entering are:

MFT sketch challenge

MFT colour challenge

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

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