Mini tag book

The last 2 weeks I have been following the tutorials published for the Fodder Challenge #3. You can still register (it's free) to access the tutorials until the 4th of August, after which they will form part of their next Fodder school lessons.

This project is using the tutorial no 9 by  @meganquinlanstudio and some of the items I made in lesson 1.

Inside pages:

With the tags out of the pocket pages:

Quite an easy project and I thoroughly enjoyed using "old" stamps to decorate it, mostly STAMPlorations but also Rubber Dance (front cover) and Polkadoodles (Back cover) as well as a Unity sentiment (centre tag).

I had hoped the Fodder Challenge would help kick my creativity back into action and spur me into crafting and yes, it did that and took me out of my comfort zone too! Well worth doing, even if "fodder" is not your go to style of crafting.

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield   I am entering the Allsorts and SSS Wednesday challenges

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                                

In the stars

This is a post I didn't think I would be able to write following a family bereavement, but, serendipity played its hand and here is a second inspiration make for our Country View Challenge. 

As I thought about the theme, it seemed fitting. Souls are often referred as stars in the sky and I took it as a sign. 

I used a Paper Artsy star stamp (JM06), the Art Marks and Noteworthy 2 stamps sets, both by STAMPlorations, to create the sentiment. All were stamped and embossed with white EP. 

For added colour I applied some Versamark with a sponge on top of the stars and added mica powders, in different colours. Here's the shine shot: 

Do enter the Country View Challenge with a starry make of your own for the chance to win a £ 20 voucher to the online shop but be quick there is only a week left...  

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield   I am entering the challenge

Thursday Throwback - Stencils and powders

Welcome to my second Thursday Throwback posts on the STAMPlorations blog. 
Here are my takes on Shirley's card. 

Card 1 supplies;  Flutter Zen 1 Layering Dies and ARTplorations stencil Senecio 1 

Card 2: same as before: Flutter Zen 1 Layering Dies and ARTplorations stencil Senecio 1 

Card 3: Beyond the Trees – ARTplorations Slimline stencil and For the Birds Dies - CUTplorations. 

Do hop onto the STAMPlorations blog for the full details.

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield   

Creative use of dies

Today is my first of 4 Thursday Throwback posts which will pop up on the STAMPlorations blog once a month. 

My crafting is usually stamp based but this Thursday I chose this die-cut based creation by Maureen that had me fascinated.  

You can check the original post here. 

First I created a camera with my favourite designer papers and used it as a topper on a card front: 

I used  the ATC Tag builder die set and the Tag O'Coffee to cut my pieces and the sentiment is from the Fond Expressions 2 stamp set. 

Next, I made an attempt at making the camera as realistic as I could, taking inspiration from my own camera's colours. 

I used the ATC Tag Builder , the Tag O'Coffee set and Liquid Glass (DecoArt).

Another view showing the dimensional lens:

And for fun I tried my own die-cut recipe for a boat... naive but still recognisable:

Dies are from the ATC Tag Builder, Tag O'Coffee, Stitched Snow Hills and Basic A2 Panels Nesting Dies sets. The background is Distress Inks with clouds made with Gesso and the Clouds stencil.

You can find out the details for all 3 makes on the STAMPlorations blog. Come back in 4 weeks for my next Throwback Thursday!

Thanks for coming by,
I am entering the SSS Wednesday challenge and Addicted to Stamps challenge.

Add depth to your stencilling

Hello crafters, today I am showing the last tutorial in my Mixed Media series on the STAMPlorations blog. I made 2 cards as examples of the technique I used. 

First this slimline card:  

Supplies:

Bamboo – ARTplorations Slimline stencil

CUTploration phrase - Art Happens

Die-cutting machine and embossing mat

Colouring medium

I reversed the process for my second card (with similar results)

Supplies:

All Blooms - ARTplorations Stencil

Birthday Wishes Phrase Die - CUTplorations

Die-cutting machine and embossing mat

Colouring medium

Hop on over to the STAMPlorations blog to find out how I made those and leave me a comment telling me what your thought of this and the previous posts of the series. 

Thanks for coming by,

Craftyfield      I am entering the SSS Wednesday challenge. 

          

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. 

STAMPlorations turns 8!

Welcome to STAMPlorations 8th Birthday Celebrations! The DT has new products to show you and there are several ways to win prizes for joining us! If you don't come from the STAMplorations blog make sure you hop over to the post to read all the details.

This is what I did with the Birthday Bundle #1, which consists of 4 products:
1. Blossom Sprays #4 4x6 stamp set
2. Radiate Happy 3x5 stamp set
3. Design Blox Template #5 - 6x10, 10mil
4. Art Border #1 CUTplorations thin metal die

      &nbsp
First up, a simple card with the Blossoms spray #4 stamp.

As the stamp is big enough to fill most of an A2 (US size)/A6 card , I simply stamped the image with Versafine in Sepia and coloured it with pencils. The panel has been die-cut with the Stitched Snow Hills dies set.

Second a set of ATCs with the Radiate Happy stamp set

I used the stencil Blox #5 to create my backgrounds with different colours of Distress inks, masking with washi tape or paper when changing colours. I then die-cut the ATC's with the smallest of the dies in the Stitched Snow Hills dies set.

Finally I added sentiments from the Radiate Happy stamp set, embossing some of them with Wow! powders (Earthtone Olive, Primary Apple red, Skinny Chai Latte and Metalline Violet)

If you are doing project Life or any kind of scrapbooking, these are ideal as journaling cards as I have used here: 

Next I focused on the Art Border #1, I like versatile products and this one delivers so I wanted to show you what you can do above and beyond cutting a border in a card, as nice as it is...

On this card, I used only one edge of the die to die-cut my card base all around with the line of dots. Turning the die the other way you would get the line with the hearts as I did in this next card at the bottom.

I used the die again as a border on the right and stencilled a background with Distress Inks, brushes and the stencil Blox #5. My focal point is one of the new Vintage Blooms ATCs and my sentiment is one of the Radiate Happy set.

Finally, since the die only cuts the design, you can cut the die repeatedly to cover a whole card or more!!! The only limitations are the size of your paper and the size of your die-cutting machine:

Check out this my post here to find out more about this card.

The STAMP girls are showing inspiration for all the challenges on the STAMPlorations blog so pop by and don't forget to comment along the way for a chance to win.

***

Whenever you shop for STAMPlorations products you can get 20% off with my code: STAMPGIRLCRAFTY

***

Thanks for coming by,
My Blossoms Spray card is entering the Stamping Sensations challenge as I love colouring with pencils!

 

New products at STAMPlorations

Ahead of STAMPlorations 8th Birthday and celebration posts planned, Shery has made available 3 bundles at a very special price AND with free worldwide shipping... can't say better than that! 

I will give you a peek of one of the product included in Bundle #1 , the Art Border Die #1. 

Why die-cut once when you can repeat... This die hasn't got a cutting edge so you can die-cut only part of the die, all of it or many times as I did on this card. 

I place the die the same way each time but by flipping the die every time or other time you will get a different look. I like the idea of versatile dies... 

There you have it, a quick view at this die and what it can do, but hurry if you want to take advantage of the pre-order offer (pre-order price (34% OFF! + Free Worldwide Shipping))... you have until tonight only! 

Thanks for coming by,
I am entering the Allsorts challenges.