Spring gives you wings

April is the month when the weather starts to be interesting over here, well warmer anyhow! I feel the sun rays cheer me up and give me wings... And Things with Wings is the theme chosen by Rachel for our Country View Challenges. So birds, bees, butterflies and faeries are all welcome!

I started with fairie:

All stamps are from Lavinia.
I stamped and masked the moon (LAV431) before applying Distress inks for the background. I also added paper masks for the hills.
Next I stamped the Open Dandelions (LAV 745) et and the faerie (Mia) and to finish I repeat stamped the Oak Leaf (LAV760) and embossed Stars Mini (LAV152) with WOW! Embossing Glitter - White Twinkle.

I matted the image on black and orange cardstock and left the sentiment for the inside of the card!

 

Your turn to create a Birthday card for men and link up your project to the Country View Challenge for the chance to win a £20 voucher for the Country View Craft shop.

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield     I am entering the SSS Wednesday and Allsorts challenges

Birthday Card for a man

Today I am showing my second inspiration piece for the Country View Challenge, where the theme is "Birthday card for a man", chosen by Corrie. I went with drinks which is more neutral than masculine but this one IS for a man so... 

I stamped the glass at the front first and masked it, stamping the bottle and the second glass over it using grey and blue inks. I added the spray from the ice cube hitting the drink in various shades of blue.
I coloured the ice cubes, glasses, lemon and bottle with pencils and stamped the words in black.

The sentiment "It's Your Special Day" is from the Essentials Sentiments set SYC007 from Sentimentally Yours.

All the other stamps are from Visible image, most from the Keep your Gin up set with the "today's forecast..." borrowed from the 99% Chance of Wine set.

Your turn to create a Birthday card for a man and link up your project to the Country View Challenge for the chance to win a £20 voucher for the Country View Craft shop.

Thanks for coming by,

Craftyfield           I am entering the SSS Monday Challenge, Allsorts, 

                                                       We Love Stamping,  and Stamping Sensations challenges

Happy Birthday Handsome

Welcome to March and a new Country View Challenge, hosted this month by Corrie who has chosen " Birthday card for men" as the theme. Yes those difficult cards to make... but, no fear ,the DT has plenty of ideas on the blog! 

My first card is one for a young man, I'd call him a teenager but that time has passed! 

I pulled out a masculine collection, Mr Handsome and the Young and Free, both by Craft O'Clock . I had planned to use stamps and/or stencils as well but the papers did the job all on their own. 

I did, however, use a few dies to spice up the design, including the Birthday sentiments (Happy from the One Liners: Happy Die set and from Wonderful Words: Birthday Die, both from Papertrey ink.
From MFT Die-namics I used the Notebook Edge. 

[I am looking at old stash a lot recently and feeling nostalgic about the supplies we could get from the US before it cost an arm and a leg to ship over the pond...] 

Anyhoo... have a look at what the DT made on the Country View Challenge blog and link up your project to the challenge for the chance to win a £20 voucher for the Country View Craft shop. Just remember to follow the rules!!! 

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                                

Valentine's card - Together

Happy day! Today is the day of our new Country View Challenge, hosted this month by Jane who has chosen "Be Sentimental" as this month's theme.

Of course we expect to see lots of Valentine's cards but the main thing is to have a sentiment, a phrase or some inspiring words... so quite a lot of options.

For my Valentine card I used quite a few oldies:

First I cut a piece of masking tape the same size as my base card: 6"x6" and stamped the heart (Papermania Sew Lovely - part of a magazine freebie I believe and probably 10 years old...) on it. I then cut it out, keeping both innie (the heart) and outie to use later.

I left the heart stamp on the stamping platform so I was sure to have the stamp in the right place when I came to stamp it on the base card.

I positioned the outie on my base card and stamped a texture through the heart opening, here a Create A Card stamp by Impression Obsession with a canvas texture.

Then I stamped the heart on the base card, phew perfect placement!

I positioned the innie onto the base card to make sure the sentiment I was going to stamp was in the right place and straight... When happy I took the heart mask off and stamped on the base card.

I added a background with a stencil from the Mini Stencil Set THMST010 (Stampers Anonymous/Tim Holtz) and some Distress inks.
Finally I added some other words as some sort of embellishments, both by Rubber Dance, the quote by Josiah Holland and the "Always" from a very well liked Nostalgic Couples set and the Together from the Beautiful Words set.

This is taking me back to stamping at its best and, if the object of your affection is far away, perfect for posting as it is absolutely flat with no added weight!

Over to you now, have a look at what the DT made on the Country View Challenge blog and link up your project to the challenge for the chance to win a £20 voucher for the Country View Craft shop, just make sure you follow ALL the rules (they aren't that many...)

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield   I am entering the SSS Wednesday challenge

Universal Birthday card

Welcome to my second inspiration piece for our Country View Challenge, hosted this month by Evelyn., who chose "Time" as the theme. Think clocks, clockfaces, watches...

This time I made a card :

The focal stamps are from the Visible Image Somewhere in time set, stamped in Versafine Black and Memento Summer Sky Blue,

I added a "to" with an alphabet stamp set and a die-cut word from the Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 7PK - Handwritten Celebrate by Tim Holtz, which I embossed with several layers of Frantage aged copper embossing powder.

Over to you now, link up your project to the challenge for the chance to win a £20 voucher for the Country View Craft shop, but make sure you follow all the rules for your entry to be valid!

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield   

Timeless

Happy New Year! 

The new year reminds us of the passing time and would you believe it Time is the theme the lovely Evelyn has chosen for our January Challenge at Country View Challenges. Clocks, etc... 

For my first inspiration post, I had fun making this Vintage inspired tag:

To make my background I stuck a piece of Gelli printed paper on a sturdy base. I used a variety of stamps and stencils to build the Gelli paper with Fresco paints.
I added some Tissue tape and embossed all around the tag with Frantage embossing powder in  Aged Rose.
The clock and Timeless sentiment is from a Stamperia sheet of chipboard stickers (Romantic Journal collection)

The lace and flower head are from my bits and bobs box.

Over to you now, have a look at what the DT made on the Country View Challenge blog and link up your project to the challenge for the chance to win a £20 voucher for the Country View Craft shop.

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield   

12 Days of Christmas Treat box

Today I am showing  my second inspiration piece for our Country View Challenge. 

Initially my idea was to create an advent calendar with 24 boxes but I realised the finished article would be too big and as I could only gift the calendar after the 20th of December it was a bit meaningless. So instead, I figured a "12 days of Christmas box" would be an adequate replacement. 

I used Graphic 45 papers to make 12 match boxes and covered 2 sturdy pieces of cardboard to serve as top and base for the box tower.

Before assembing the boxes I added a brad through an eyelet to create a draw knob and die-cut numbers from 1 to 12. 

Finally I glued a first layer of boxes on the base, alternating the position, which create a square shape, with an empty square in the middle. Then I stuck the other layers on top and added the top cardboard to finish.

 I am planning to fill each box with an array of treats, mixing the traditional chocolates with dried fruits all wrapped in tissue paper.

Your turn now to create something on the theme "Christmas" in our Country View Challenge. You could win a £ 20 voucher if you link your project...

 Plus there is still 4 more days of Advent offers at the Country View shop!

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield   I am entering the Allsorts challenge

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   

Adorable Girl Tag

This month we have an easy challenge theme for our Country View Challenge, chosen by Jo, which is Tags. Any tags as long as they are not part of another project such as card, journal page etc.. 

Here is my first inspiration make: 

First I applied several layers of Distress and Distress Oxide inks, drying the tag between layers. 

I added stamping in white ink with a script from my own collection and in Merlot (Lavinia Inkpad) with Rubber  Dance Wild flowers.

A bit of paper and real lace, a piece of string, some hearts and dew drops enhance the main image from a sheet by Crafty Individuals.

Finally I used the Shine like a star sticker sentiment from STAMPlorations to finish

Over to you now, have a look at what the DT made on the Country View Challenge blog and link up your project to the challenge for the chance to win a £20 voucher for the Country View Craft shop.

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield   I am entering the SSS Wednesday and Paperbabe,  challenges

Halloween tag

Having illustrated the Harvest theme last time, I am taking up the challenge of making something on the Halloween theme for our Country View Challenge, hosted this month by Miriam. 

I first stamped the moon (Lavinia ) and masked it before creating the background with layer upon layer of Distress and Distress Oxide inks (including sprays). 

I added inks with Distress foam to darken the sides and distressed the edges . 

Next I stamped the birds and the branches (both stamps by Crafty Individuals). 

The cat is stamped (freebie from a magazine) and fussy cut, I hand drew the pumpkin, coloured it with pencils and fussy cut it before gluing down. 

I made a broom with a toothpick and a die-cut shape from a very old Spellbinders set and a bit of string.

Finally the sentiment is die-cut with the Tim Holtz/Sizzix Alphanumeric Script set (662228). 

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Over to you now, you have 2 weeks to link up your Halloween or Harvest project to the Country View Challenge blogfor the chance to win a £20 voucher for the Country View Craft shop.

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Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield     I am entering the SSS Wednesday, We Love Stamping, Paperbabe, 

 Lost Coast Designs, and Stamping Sensations challenges