Make most of the dies

Hello crafters, 

Today is my debut at the Allsorts challenge blog! 

I have entered their challenges many times over the years, made the Top 5 and won prizes on several occasions and now as the stars aligned I am joining the Design Team!

The theme this fortnight is Use Dies (or Anything Goes) chosen by Sarah.

My card is based on a fancy shape and I have used the instructions from Sam's blog. 

 

Supplies:
Baubles: stamps and dies set Studio Light Essentials (BASICSDC17)
Snowman: Sizzix/Tim Holtz Winter Wishes set (666717)
Centre Snowflake halves: Cards & Crafts for Christmas 2019 

Snowflake border: Die-cutting Essential Issue 58

Leaves and holly from Sizzix Christmas Shadow box set (663611)

Papers from magazine.

First the pop up card is prepared by scoring and cutting following the template. 

Then it's a matter of cutting the paper to fit each panel, of course you can choose to leave some blank to save some time or to keep it more "clean".

This is my first card with that shape and, as it is rather time consuming, not one I would do often but for Christmas, to stand out from the crowd it's perfect

Side and top views:

Hop on to Allsorts and upload your make for the chance to win 3 prizes of Oakwood dies and coordinating stamps. You can enter up to 5 times and worthy entries will earn a place in the Top 7.

Thanks for coming by,
 Craftyfield       I am entering the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Polkadoodles                                                                and Simon Says Stamp Monday challenges

Fairy Christmas

Hello crafters!
Today my second inspiration make for our Country View Challenge held in the Facebook group is another Christmas card.

I created my own snow globe stencil with the help of a die (Crealies CLCZ08) and applied Elements inks with a smoothie.

With another DIY stencil I sponged white pigment ink to create a hill.

I then stamped the Fairy Fir Tree (LAV478) several times with Versafine ink as well a small tree from the Lavinia Tree scene set (LAV219). 

I added Mia (LAV284) holding a Mini Fairy Lantern (LAV588)

For a finishing touch I splattered some iridescent medium with a brush, more interesting than white for "snow".

2 layers of mats and voila a magical Christmas card! As I write this I am realising that this is quite similar to a tag I made last month here.

To enter the challenge, hop on to our friendly group here and upload your project to the challenge album. a place on Zoe Hillman’s next workshop at the Country View Crafts shop in the new year!

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield       I am entering the challenge Stamping Sensations, 

                                                              We Love Stamping and Lost Coast Designs

Artic Conditions

Hello crafters!
Today I have a first inspiration make for our Country View Challenge held in the Facebook group. This month the theme is, of course, "Christmas"!

I created an Hexagon card (I followed the instructions from this video), which folds flat to 5"x7" for easy posting. 

I added acetate to all 3 front panels, partly to make them more sturdy and partly to allow me more decorative options. As I have been going through a "window" period, I thought the panels would be glass and of course with snow... I added some Tim Holtz/Ranger Grit paste Snowfall with the mini stencil set 43 by Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous (THMST043). I got the inspiration from Tim Holtz himself, although he favours the stencil THS021 for this purpose but I think mine works well too,

The papers are from the Stamperia Arctic Antarctic collection, the snowman, snowflake and ice skates are die-cut from different colour card with the Tim Holtz/Sizzix Winter Wishes set (666717). I used thick thread to lace the skates to complete the realistic effect. 

This Arctic Antarctic collection is not available anymore and here's my advice... any Stamperia collection you like and have a project in mind don't dither! As soon as I saw this one I knew I wanted it for an album, never mind that it took me years to get around to use it (real life did get in the way) but I am so glad to have this collection on hand.

The greeting is Die'sire Words Die - Merry Christmas.

The card seen in different angle and folded flat:

Making this type of card is simple but time consuming so you might want to reserve it for your special people or when you want your card to be noticed on the mantelpiece!

To enter the challenge, hop on to our friendly group here and upload your project to the challenge album. You could win a place on Zoe Hillman’s next workshop at the Country View Crafts shop in the new year!

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield       I am entering the Simon Says Stamp Monday, 

                                                            Simon Says Stamp Wednesday  challenges

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

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 

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

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

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

Sledging boy

Me again! Another Christmas card, with a Vintage image but in a CAS and bright style.

 I first stamped the Crafty Individuals Little Snow Baby (CI-240) inking just the boy and sledge with black Versafine. 

Then, after cleaning the stamp still in the stamping platform, I inked the stars and border with embossing ink and used detailed white powder to emboss. 

The embossing resisted the application of Pan Pastel over the top to give me the background colour. 

I layered the image on a piece of shiny blue paper with glints of gold and created a white aperture mat to frame the whole.

I hope you like my card!

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield   I am entering the Allsorts and We Love Stamping challenges

Brushos and Gelli plate

Hello bloggers,

Today I have 2 cards that could either be Christmas, or as I plan New Year cards. Both use Lavinia stamps and the oval and circle backgrounds have been printed using the Gelli plate. 

I made the background by inking the circle plate with light blue dye ink and sprinkled a tiny bit of brushos, Turquoise for the sky and Moss green for the "hills". Using my stamping platform, I stamped that first circle. Then I inked the plate with pigment ink and over stamped the background for a foggy effect. 

The Fairy Fir Tree (LAV478) was then partially stamped 3 times.
A few die-cuts to finish (Sizzix). 

The background was made the same way as before, except I splattered some acrylic ink for snow instead of stamping pigment ink.
The oval die-cut is from Craft Companion.

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield         My first card is entering the Lost Coast challenge.

Pointsettias and PATP

Still crafting for Christmas... today a card, inspired by the Lost Coast challenge. 

I don't tend to stamp on patterned paper but that is because fussy cutting fills me with dread. 

I stamped all the layers of 3 Elegant Pointsettia (John Next Door) on an antique paper, a Little Sizzles Classic paper pad, with Versafine Onyx Black. I fussy cut them and layered 2 to a flower attaching them with brads on a piece of white cardstock. The irony is that there was a matching die for this stamp and having waited too long to get them I found out none were left! 

The sentiment is a die-cut by Yvonne Creations (YCD10057). 

I matted the whole on another piece of the same paper pad which I punched with a Martha Stewart Punch Around The Page. Still revisiting old stash... 

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield   I am entering the Lost Coast and Stamping Sensations challenges.

Christmas tags

The Christmas crafting is in full swing and today I am doing tags! These are reserved for special people/gifts because they do take a bit of time to make.

I stamped the Crafty Individuals CI-503 Pinecones tags in Versafine Clair in shady Lane, Pinecone and Versafine Onyx black for the sentiment. A stamping platform is indispensable for this as I inked each area separately with a big inkpad and this what is time consuming!

I then cut along the stamped tag shape.

That's it... but isn't this stamp set gorgeous!

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield   I am entering the Allsorts  and  Stamping Sensations challenges

Frosty Christmas tree

It's been a while since I have made a Christmas card, but the time
is coming up quickly so better be prepared!

I used a spellbinders Nestabilitie die to make a stencil and inked the shape created with Distress inks, for a cold winter day sky effect. Then, I traced around the shape with a gold gel pen for an unobtrusive frame.

The tree, a Crafty Individual stamp (CI-462 "Large Christmas Tree") has been stamped with dark green dye ink.

The sentiment is die-cut out of an alcohol ink scrap (with rose gold metallic) and I added "frost" to the tree and on the snow with Stamperia Glamour - Sparkles in Sparkling White. This is both for texture and shine but is a bit difficult to see in the photos, I tried to capture the shine in this next one:

I matted the focal image on a pearlescent vellum card before adhering the whole to my card base.

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield   I am entering the Allsorts and SSS Wednesday challenge 

Winter sentiment

No this is not an old post... Untypically for me I have started Christmas crafting early... well last year I hardly had any time to craft, resorting to actually BUYING some cards! 

This card fits our Country View Challenge blog where the theme is "Be Sentimental" (not just romance but any sentiment, phrase or inspirational quote): 

I just had to test some of the supplies I grabbed during the fabulous Advent Calendar sales at Country View Crafts (if you've never heard of it before, Susan does a special offer from the 1st to the 24th of December). 
I die-cut the Paper Panda Craft Die - Meadow Frame (Creative Expressions) and used the inside oval as a shield to my brushos when I created the background. The paper I used for the die-cut is a specialty Self adhesive paper, thin enough that it will die-cut without too many passes. This is a game changer for these detailed dies and at less than £10 for 25 sheets a bargain to boot! 
When that dried I simply stamped the Sentiment (STAMPlorations) in Versafine Black. 

Then I peeled off the backing of my die-cut and applied to the background before sticking both onto my base card. 
I am so pleased the stamp fits so well in that frame and I am planning a series so I will not be caught out without hand made cards next Christmas... 

Over to you now, visit the Country View Challenge blog for more inspiration, the DT posts every other day for the first 3 weeks. and join us by linking  your project here for the chance to win a £20 voucher for the Country View Craft shop, just make sure you follow the rules!

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield   I am entering the Allsorts (I love playing with new supplies...),   

  Stamping Sensations and SSS Wednesday challenges                                

Tri-fold card for Christmas

Welcome to the 1st of December and our new Country View Challenge! 

An easy one for you... the theme is "Christmas". You can enter any projects with any supplies on this theme, as long as you follow ALL the rules! 

I made the Z fold type card shape using an old die (Presscut) but it is an easy one to make with 4 scored lines and 2 cuts out of an A4 piece of card. It has the advantage of offering lots of surface for decorating... 

For the front I stamped trees and snowflakes in black ink and the big tree and baubles in coloured ink with the Bottle Brush Trees Paperbabe Stamp set, on white card. 

On the sides I added white card stock with velvet effect stickers from my underused crafting supplies. 

A merry Christmas die-cut serves as the sentiment.

On the reverse , I simply added patterned papers and a piece of white card for the message.

And the beauty of the shape is that, when folded, it fits a standard envelope!

There you have it, something that will stand out on the mantelpiece...

I hope I have inspired you to enter the Country View Challenge blog, if not have a look at my fellow teamies projects and don't forget if you link your project you are in with the chance to win a £20 voucher for the Country View Craft shop!

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield   I am entering the Paperbabe and SSS Wednesday challenge

Tag-a-thon 2022 edition

Welcome to my second inspiration post for our Country View Challenge, hosted this month by Jo.  The theme is Tags and with Christmas fast approaching I decided to revive my "Tag-a-thon" crafting sessions. 

They are easy enough to make with scraps of paper, abandoned stamped images, die-cuts etc... and are useful for the gifting season.

I did 3 tags on around paper, stamping and die-cutting so that every type of crafter can find inspiration. 

 

For the papers, Graphic 45 is fabulous for that Vintage feel. I also rate highly the Stamperia collections, both brands being stocked by Susan. 

Here I used an old collection, Christmas Emporium of which I got 2 pads (don't ask...)

For the stamped tags, I pulled out the Snarky Cats (Tim Holtz) I had so much fun with last year! 

I stamped in grey ink and coloured the cats with pencils.

To finish, I added a bit of sparkle with tiny gold stars confetti.

I am entering these tags in the Allsorts, We Love Stamping, Stamping Sensations and Paperbabe challenges.

For the die-cut tags I selected pieces already cut (Memory Box, magazine freebie) and added washi tape, leaves, dew drops, gems and/or stars to embellish. 

These tags also join the Allsorts challenge.

With 9 new tags in my stock I should sail through Christmas...

To make the tag shapes I used both out of the box die (STAMPlorations Tag O'Coffee) and partial die-cutting with tag shapes and rectangles in order to get the size I needed.

You stil have plenty of time to create 1 or several tags for the Country View Challenge blog! Don't forget there is the chance to win a £20 voucher for the Country View Craft shop.

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield   

Merry Catmas!

After weeks of Christmas cards posts, it's finally time to wish you all a very

Happy Christmas!

from me and all my Snarky cats, gathered below for your viewing pleasure...

Craftyfield 

Catty carollers

Rounding up our Country View Challenge inspiration posts, here's another Snarky Christmas Cats card. 

No apologies as I did warn you...

First I made several masks for this cat image from the stamp set (CMS 416 - Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous), then I stamped the cat repeatedly in black (foreground) and grey, and coloured them with pencils. I added the music score behind them (a freebie from a magazine).

As I am writing this there is no sentiment stamped on the card but I wanted the freedom to use this card as a Christmas, New year or even a December Birthday card if required. 

**********

You still have a week to enter our Country View Challenge and only 2 shopping days till x-mas, so do get on with it! Who knows you might win one of 2 lovely £20 vouchers to spend on crafty stuff... now wouldn't that be the best Christmas present?!

Happy Christmas!!!

I am entering the We Love Stamping and Paperbabe challenges.

Snarky Cat Christmas 11

The excitement is palpable... 
only dented by the Covid restrictions in place and possibly those to come! 

So, whatever happens.... "Don't get your tinsel in a tangle"!

 My Snarky cat has a point... 

The cat, sentiment and snowflakes are all from the Snarky  Christmas Cats set (CMS416) from Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous. I stamped the cat in a Versafine Clair Pinecone and Shady lane (the green knit), the sentiment in  Versafine black and the Snowflakes with a Kaleidacolor in Blue Breeze.

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield     I am entering the SSS Monday, We Love Stamping, 

                                                          Stamping Sensations, Paperbabe and Allsorts challenges

Stencils and foils double the fun

Today I am featuring on the STAMPlorations blog with a Mixed Media tutorial. Just in time for Christmas, I chose a technique full of shine.

And best of all it's a two-fer!!!

For the most reflective, metallic, shine, foils are the best. Today I am using Hot foils, which require the use of a laminator. (I think it is possible to use an iron but I  wouldn't risk it!)

Supplies:

Winter Flowers ARTplorations stencil

CUT-plorations Stitched Snow Hills

Stitched Spring Landscape 

Jingle All The Way Phrase Die - CUTplorations 

Tag O'Coffee

Gel medium (thick)

Hot Foils 

I made this card with the "positive" motif of the stencil:

 

The foil gives a mirror like finish which is difficult to photograph,

 so here's a picture showing the shine:

Then there is the "negative" which I used to make those tags to match:

And a picture without the sun reflection:

 

If you want details on the technique(s) I used , hop to the STAMPlorations blog to follow my tutorial.

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield  I am entering the Addicted to Stamps, SSS Wednesday 

                                                          and River of creativity challenges.