Love Round

Is it that time already?! Yes, Valentine's day is coming up rather soon so I unearthed all things hearts to make a card for my man.  

The focal image is Crafty Individual "A Walk in the Park" stamp (CI-439) and the sentiment is from the set CI-402 "Just Be My Friend". 

I coloured the couple with pencils and added a background around them with Distress inks. 

I matted my image on glitter cardstock as it was the only red cardstock I happened to have! A bit too bright but it's Valentine and I needed red to balance the pink of the paper (a freebie from a magazine). 

Finally, a small die-cut of entwined hearts finishes the card. 

Is it TOO pink for a man? I do hope he likes it anyway! 

Thanks for coming by, 

 Craftyfield   I am entering the SSS Monday, SSS Wednesday, 

                                                        We Love Stamping and Lost Coast Designs challenges

Bright Birthday

Hello crafters! 

A simple card today for you, because, no matter how hard I tried, I could not come up with a design that would add anything to the image! 

The stamp is Crafty Individuals "Home Sweet Home" (CI-458) inked with the Kaleidacolor "Autumn Leaves" inkpad, on a specialty silk card that takes dye inks superbly. 

Incidentally, I have had this stamp for a while but it is its first outing so I am counting as "new"!

Incredibly easy, no fuss... I only added a mat and sentiment die-cut out of black cardstock to give a bit of contrast with the colourful image. Sometimes, less IS more!

Thanks for coming by, 

 Craftyfield      I am entering the We Love Stamping  and 

                                                           Lost Coast Designs challenges

Blue Monday

Today I have a 2nd inspiration post for our Country View Challenge,
where the theme is "Be Wordy"

Although Blue Monday was officially last Monday, I have a feeling the most miserable day will actually be tomorrow! So, I think, for those brave souls that attempted it, it's time to give up on dry January... and, as the card says...let the drinking be gin!!! 

I used the stamp and coordinating die set Keep Your Gin Up by Visible Image to stamp the glasses and ice cubes in shades of grey. The lemon slices were coloured with pencils as well as the bottle I had stamped in green ink. 

I stencilled the background with an older stencil, Sunburst by Andy Skinner (DecoArt). 

I hope you will join us in the Facebook group to enter our Country View Crafts challenge, anything with quotes, words or sentiment will be welcomed, as long as you use products or brands stocked at Country View Crafts. If you do you could win a bundle of words/sentiment stamps by Visible Image, Tracy Easson and 49 and Market PLUS a pack of chipboard words!

Cheers!

 Craftyfield   I am entering the SSS Wednesday, Stamping Sensations,   
                                                            Allsorts and the Lost Coast Designs challenges 

Wet January

For my 1st Country View Challenge inspiration post, where the theme this month is Be Wordy, I have an alcohol-based card for you... Dry January? Pfft... How are we supposed to get through the most miserable month whilst going on a diet and foregoing our tipples? No wonder we fail our resolutions as soon as we make them! 

I used the stamp and matching die set 99 % Chance Of Wine. All elements stamped and die-cut except the sentiment stamped directly on the base card. For the glasses I used Elements Premium Dye Ink Pad in Merlot, it seemed appropriate! I coloured the bottle with pencils. 

I created a background with Distress inks, using the mini stencil set 28 by Tim Holtz for the brick wall. 

I hope you will join us in the Facebook group to enter our challenge, anything with quotes, words or sentiment 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 bundle of words/sentiment stamps by Visible Image, Tracy Easson and 49 and Market PLUS a pack of chipboard words!  

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield   I am entering the Lost Coast challenge

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   

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.