Calendar Challenge : Week 1

For the next 12 weeks the Craft Barn has a Calendar challenge. Each week one calendar or one page of the calendar must be done using the Week 1 Challenge theme, blue and crackle.

I have decided to do a full calendar, on the basis that among my stash I do have a blank that I have failed to tackle so far and this is the push I needed.

My page this week has some stamping, stencilling and crackle. The latter doesn't show too well in the picture. Some of the colour choices were dictated by the supplies I had, and I faced several hiccups along the way... unlike a card, where one can start all over again if necessary, with this calendar there is only one chance !

Thanks for coming by,

Hanging about...

The Crafty Individuals challenge for September is "Hanging about", literally (as a physical hanging) or not. I have chosen the latter after researching a way to make my stamped image "hang" within an easel type card and finding that yes, it DID hang but it just didn't look right.

So, as I am attracted to photographic stamps these days and was really looking forward to use the CI - 284  stamp, I went for a non literal "hanging" and my gals are indeed hanging about!

I have first inked a piece of card with distress inks and then stamped in black ink over the top. I used a Spellbinder label to cut the stamped image out the cardstock and then cut another piece from the remaining inked cardstock to use as a "shadow" frame.  

Rather than use patterned paper on the right of the card I used Tim Holtz tissue tape.

Tip: I often use the tape as masking tape when I ink cardstock and hey presto, as a bonus to my inked cardstock, I get inked tissue tape which matches my project. If I don't need it I just keep it for a later project.

Thanks for coming by,

Gilded Christmas Tree

I got some rolls of silver and gold foil last year and have loads left so what better to use it on Christmas makes!

The main image has been embossed with a folder then glue pen applied on the raised areas then the foil. To ensure that the foil is in good contact all around the embossing the easiest is to put the card back into the folder and press firmly. I am still working on the best way to apply the glue... may try a brayer next.

Bright and beautiful

Long time no post! Yes I am just back from hols and have a mountain of stuff to catch up with (I will need ANOTHER holiday after that).
Well I don't know about beautiful but bright it is...This is my entry to the Crafty Individuals August Challenge.

I have used several dye inks on the stamps (CI 221 and CI 228) and kept everything else to a minimum.When I come to use it I will probably add a greeting bottom left.  The paper is from an old Making Memories pad.

Alcohols inks and acetate

Over at the Craft Barn blog, the challenge this week is to use alcohols inks choosing one of the methods presented in 6 lovely projects.
My attempt below very nearly qualified for the Clean and Simple, but no, I couldn't help it and let it snow!
And yes it is this time already... at Craftyfield the Christmas Card making season is opened...

For the design I have used a Katzelfraft stamp and traced over it (from the reverse) with my outliner, before filling/painting with the inks. The stamp represents baubles but I decided to turn it upside down into balloons or abstract trees.

So have you started your Christmas makes ?

Teacher's Card

Not sure the card says "Teacher" when you look at it but I have made it for a teacher so...

I have used my favorite cardstock (Core'dinations from the Chocolate box and Whitewash collections) chosen to complement the patterned paper and add texture with embossing.

The brown and pink Core'dination piece has been die-cut with a Spellbinder Nestabilitie die and the right edge has been die-cut with the Fleur de Lis border from the same brand.

Hope you'll like it,

Glittered Butterflies

Here is a card for my "I need a card right now" stock. I have left a space bottom right for a greeting and the theme isn't male or female specific and could be used for all sorts of occasions.

The small butterflies have been punched out of the card base and the ribbon has been stuck down behind this line of butterflies allowing the bodies to appear darker. On a separate piece of card placed behind the butterflies apertures, I put some glue down and applied the glitter. Finally I put some glossy accents over the glitter, this avoids glitter falling off when the card is handled and it gives the butterflies more dimension.
The main image had been stamped with a sepia ink for the body and antennae and a light color for the wings. I then used coloured pencils over the wings.

Thanks for stopping by,

Bon Voyage card

First of all thank you my first follower! This is encouraging and gives me an incentive to keep blogging.

For this card, I designed a mini postcard on my computer and printed it on off-white card before distressing with ink. I also printed a small map. For the pretend road, I used 2 widths of ribbon and stamped some "trees" with acrylic paint. The stamp is actually a heather type flower stamp but I masked the stalks. The car is made of shrink plastic, colored with permanent pens and clear embossed on the windows.

Thanks for coming by,

Smile Scrapbook Page

I wanted to do a sunny page with lots of bright colours and fun, so here goes...

The stamps, chipboard letters and patterned papers are all from My Mind's Eye Bloom and Grow collection.

I didn't really achieved what I had in mind as I was thinking lots of empty space, maybe a bit of spray painting, but somehow these empty spaces called out to be filled in and I could not resist! Hope you like it.

Card with a formal look

I wanted this card to be unfussy so I have only used matting and embossing (rather than using printed papers) as techniques to let the stamped image pop out. The main point of interest is how I did the greeting and flower label, using 2 dies but making it look like one die has been used. This will be my favorite technique from now on...

The photo is quite dark which make the base card look black... in fact it is burgundy, but with more light the embossing was disappearing.

Acetate Challenge

Over at the Craft Barn Blog this week's challenge is to use acetate.
I have used several of the techniques demonstrated by the Craft Barn blog's contributors, as I had never played with acetate before. First, I used acetate as my base card and folded an A4 sheet in two to form an A5 card. I then embossed the top and bottom and swiped these areas with  alcohol inks. I decided to try stamping but with only Brilliance inks and no Stazon the result isn't fantastic.

The flower is made with 3 die cut flowers, embossed and inked to which I added a center with thin strips that I could curl with heat easily.

I have enjoyed the challenge but the next time I use acetate I will be stamping with Stazon !

Black and white card

I have meant to make a card only in black and white for a while but never got around to do it. I nearly didn't managed it this time either, as I was sorely tempted to add a red ribbon, just because the theme of the stamp and printed paper was chinese and I was thinking red, gold etc... Thankfully I resisted, and the card has much more of an impact for it. The background is printed vellum edged with black pen, the black card has been stamped and embossed in white then edged in white pen and the white card die-cut with Spellbinders Banner 2 and stamped in black. Hope you'll like it.