' ' ' 'Crafty Endeavours: December 2023

Sunday 31 December 2023

2023 Retrospective

My last post for the year is a slideshow retrospective of my favourite makes of the year.
Enjoy!
The music may or may not start... and you can control the speed and play by accessing the menu:  click on the 3 vertical dots at the bottom of the slide show
 

From the Options menu you can also "Enter full screen" for a closer look! (To exit press Esc).



See you all next year!

 Craftyfield
   

Sunday 24 December 2023

Last Christmas...

Hello followers and blog readers, 
I just had to squeeze one last Christmas card! 
Actually, this one can be Christmas or New Year and yes, it's another scene I'm afraid... 


All stamps are from Crafty Individuals. 
I stamped the church (I only inked the church itself) from the CI-474 set in Versafine Pinecone and masked it. 
I created the background sky and snowy hills with Distress inks and paper masks and although the impression is grey there is pink and blue in sky! 
I added the trees, the left hand one is from CI-450, the right hand one is from CI-209 and added the sheep from CI-467. 
A bit of pencil work on the church, path and snow as well as a few touches of gel pen for snow on branches and roof to finish. 

It does feel desolate, but a snow laden sky will do that... 
Only one thing left to say... 

Merry Christmas!

Craftyfield x 
I am entering the SSS Monday, Allsorts and Lost Coast Designs challenges


Wednesday 20 December 2023

Winter scene under the stars

Hello crafters another winter scene... this time I went for the more whimsical with the Lavinia Honeysuckle cottage (LAV687) fit for a fairy and the starry sky of a magical Christmas... 


I stamped and masked the cottage and created paper masks to colour sky and hills with Distress inks.  

In the sky I stamped and embossed the stars (LAV152 Stars Mini); on the sides of the card I stamped the fir tree (LAV478) with both green and brown inks (Versafine).  

I used colour pencils for the cottage and added some shimmering white ink (brilliance Moonlight White) with a sponge on top of the hills, roof and fir trees as if snow had settled there. But since this wasn't noticeable enough, especially in photos, I also used white gel pen on the trees and rocks. 

I considered adding a sentiment at the bottom and maybe will do later! 


Thanks for coming by, 

 Craftyfield   I am entering the Stamping Sensations (favourite colour is blue),
                                                        SSS Monday, and Lost Coast Designs challenges 



Wednesday 13 December 2023

Christmassy Robin Card

This year I have had a bit of an obsession with "floating" frames, this card uses a similar but simpler version (quicker) of this one here. 


I created an aperture in a panel of kraft cardstock and I added die-cuts of pine tree branches which I coloured with inks, crayons and sprays (don't ask). I popped up the whole on foam pads before adhering to the card base. 

The sentiment (Diesire) and the snowflakes (Papertrey ink) have been die-cuts out of glitter paper.
Pip, the red breasted robin, is die-cut using the printed image (Two Red Robins). 

Finally, I spattered some acrylic paint for a bit of Christmas snow... 

And if you wondered, yes, I am still loving the effect of the extra dimension this technique gives to a card. If you want to see more they are Tropical Frame (sloth) and Autumn Leaves

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield   I am entering the SSS Monday, SSS Wednesday
                                                         and Allsorts (my B is for Bird)challenges

Sunday 3 December 2023

Rice Paper Christmas decor

Hello crafters, 

I am back again for a 2nd Country View Challenge inspiration make, where the theme is "Christmas". I have upcycled a coffee jar again for another Christmas table centre piece. Warning this a photo heavy post... 



I used 2 of the postcards from the Stamperia  All Around Christmas Rice Paper (DFSA4808) and scraps of translucent paper with inclusions (at least 20 years old...). I applied the DecoArt Decoupage matte medium to the glass, smoothed the rice paper down and applied a layer of medium on top of the paper as well. 


  





 

 That layer allowed me to add some white Distress crayon on the mistletoe berries to make them pop.   I used a silicone tip to smooth the crayon. I couldn't resist adding some light touches of Distress crayon on the leaves and the bells.   On the tree side I added Enamel accents on the tree, here and there, 


Distress crayon on the bells and liquid glass on the baubles.

On the top of the jar I applied gel medium and dusted both glitter and Glamour Sparkle for a frosty effect. 
Some twine and a snowflake pendant serves as finishing touch.

Do click on the photos to get a closer look.

Some photos at night...
  


I hope you will join us in the Facebook group to enter our challenge, anything Christmassy will be welcomed for our Country View Crafts challenge, as long as you use products or brands stocked at Country View Crafts. If you do you could win a £25 voucher to win...


Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield   I am entering the Creative Artiste challenge

Friday 1 December 2023

Scenic Winter Card

Hello crafters, 

December starts today and it is time to kick up a notch our Christmas crafting! So cards, tags, decor pieces... anything Christmassy will be welcomed for our Country View Crafts challenge, as long as you use products or brands stocked at Country View Crafts. 

To start us off I made this scenic card with the Katzelkraft stamp set Birches Forest (KTZ285) 




I stamped and masked the chalet and some of the trees before creating sky and hills with Distress inks and paper masks.

I added colour to the chalet and trees with pencils, and a sentiment from a retired Katzelkraft set stamped on a scrap piece of vellum. 
A few touches of white gel pen on the branches and the roof to finish.

I will be back in 2 days for a second make and hope you will join us in the Facebook group to enter our challenge. There is a prize to win...

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield     I am entering the Allsorts, Lost Coast Designs 
                                                          and SSS Monday challenges