Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 201

The theme for this fortnight's challenge at Crafty Cardmakers is Animal Magic.

I've chosen to make another Christmas card, albeit one which is really just a wintry scene.

The background was created using Clarity masks and some die cut Sizzix clouds, and both Distress and Memento ink applied with Ink Dusters. The trees and deer were stamped using Versafine because I find it gives the clearest, blackest impression. The conifer stamps are from Circa Design, the other trees are Clarity. I'm afraid, I don't remember whose deer stamps they are. I didn't make a note when I go them and the packaging is long gone. I added a hint of shadow using a pencil, but kept it fairly high noon because I'm really not much of an artist. I love some of the gorgeous landscapes I see people do, and I'm awe of their talent. I definitely need to practice this technique, but in the meantime, I've got another Christmas card to add to my collection for next month.

I hope you can join us

International Art and Soul Challenge 22

The challenge at International Art and Soul for this fortnight is Buttons and Bows!

I immediately thought of my bow dies - from Creative Expressions, I think, and from there, I thought Easel Card, and this is the result.

The main image uses a stamp from Creative Impressions, stamped in Memento ink and coloured with Promarkers. I edged the image with a little Distress ink.

The background was created with Distress Ink. I used my Gelli Plate for the first time here. First I applied an overall layer of Distress ink Old Paper, then used a stencil. Through that, I applied some Peeled Paint  and Crushed Olive. I printed the result onto some card, but was a little disappointed at the lack of background colour. So, I applied some more using some Ink Dusters - using Peeled Paint, Crushed Olive, and finally some Pine Needles. On the base of the card, that's it. For the background of the upright section, I then added a regular stamp using more Pine Needles. The stamp is one of the small ones from an Inky Doodles repeatable background set.

And finally, the last bit, but actually, the first bit I thought of, is the die cut bow.

I rather like the image and suspect it'll turn up in a number of colour combinations among this year's Christmas cards. I definitely need some practice with my Gelli Plate - I suspect it'll prove versatile, but we'll see!

Hope you can join us!

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 200

Our challenge for this fortnight at Crafty Cardmakers is to make anything but a card.

I decided to make a gift look a little more special.

A friend at work really wanted one of these jugs for her kitchen, so with her birthday coming up, it seemed and ideal gift. But it looked quite plain - it really needed the flowers she plans to put in it. For various reasons, real flowers are impractical before she gets the jug home, so I improvised with some tissue paper and hand-made flowers. The whole paper assembly will just lift out, so the jug is undamaged.

Each of the flowers were made using Sizzix Susan's Garden dies. I shaded petals and leaves with Pan Pastels. And that's it! It'll go in a gift bag and I hope she's going to like it.

I hope you can join us this fortnight.

International Art and Soul Challenge 21

Our theme at International Art and Soul this fortnight is Autumn Colours.

For this challenge, I decided to go with ink and stamping, and I've consciously avoided any digital content. Not that I've got a problem with digital content - far from it. It's just that I find genuine ink, stamping and colouring hard, and it's good for me to get out of my comfort zone sometimes.

Now, I know, blues aren't really considered autumn colours, but the sort of greyish blue of an autumn sky really should count, I think! Anyway, I started with a DoCrafts Urban stamp with an image by Michael Powell. I stamped it with memento ink and coloured with Promarkers. The background paper was stencilled, stamped and shaded with Distress Ink, and the panel for the die cut similarly shaded. I've got several Michael Powell stamps, and while I like them, they take a long time to colour and they're quite fiddly, so I have to have quite a lot of time to spare before I'll turn to them. Having said that, I'm quite pleased with how this one turned out. The card wasn't made with any particular recipient or occasion in mind, but that makes it a useful one to have in my box.

I hope you can join us this time.