Whatever the weather

Kirsty is setting our challenge at Daring Cardmakers this week and she'd like to see all things weather-related.

I'm hoping I’ve gone for something unseasonal as I’ve chosen snow! I know it’s been unseasonably mild just recently and I hope we’re not going to pay for it with the sort of weather we had with the “beast from the east” a few years back. That was late February…

My stash of Christmas cards was almost nonexistent for 2023 so I’m determined to try to make a few more throughout the year this year. With that in mind I’m also joining Jo’s Christmas Kickstart where Gail is this month’s elf and the theme is “out on a limb” — things you’d find on a tree. My little birdie is literally out on a limb. She has a coating of Spica glitter pen for subtle sparkle too. 

Stamps:
Merriest Christmas Wishes (Hero Arts)

Paper:
Bristol board

Ink:
Memento Luxe by Tsukineko (Bahama Blue, Love Letter)

Other:
Copic marker
Spic glitter pen (red)
Snowflake die (Waltzingmouse Stamps, no longer with us)

Thanks for stopping by!

Face the music and dance

It's my turn to set the challenge at Daring Cardmakers this week.  I’ve chosen a music and/or dance theme — any type of music, any style of dance!

I’ve gone for the music bit of the theme. I wish I could claim my sketching skills were up to this standard but I actually did something different with a stamp! I used very light ink to stamp the image and then 2B and 4B pencils to turn it into a sketch. I think it’s worked to give a different sort of look. 

The fine frames circles die has always made me think of a vinyl record —clicking through for a bigger image might give a clearer impression why! I decided maybe she’s gone retro and raided her parents’ old record collection and placed die cuts to give her some background interest. With that thoughtful look I’m imagining she’s listening to some Joni Mitchell or maybe Carole King’s Tapestry.

Stamps:
Lost in Music (Visible Image)
Nothing to Wear (Visible Image, sentiment only)

Paper:
Bristol
Black

Ink:
Fade-out by Ink on 3
Versafine by Tsukineko (Onyx Black)
Hero Arts Shadow ink (Charcoal, Soft Granite)

Other:
Fine Frames Circles die (Altenew)
Stitched Rectangles A6 size dies (Paper Rose)

Thanks for stopping by!

Time for Cake

Isn't it always time for cake? I’ve been missing in action for a while and the invitation to a slice of cake for Rizwana’s challenge at Daring Cardmakers seems like the perfect opportunity to return.

My stash of birthday cards is now non-existent and I know I need several in the next few weeks so the cake clearly had to be a birthday one. It’s decorated with some little beads of pearly icing and that looks like a dark chocolate ganache filling to me! 

Splattery ink and a scatter of pearl dots make for a festive feel and a nice scripty sentiment finishes it off. 

Stamps:
The Cafe (Cornish Heritage Farms, no longer with us)
Big Day Today (Waltzingmouse Stamps, no longer with us)

Paper:
Bristol board

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Pearlescent Chocolate)
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (Tumbled Glass)

Other:
Copic markers
Pearl Pen by Viva Decor (Ice White)
Corner Chomper 

Thanks for stopping by, I’ll try not to leave it so long until the next post!

Spell it out

Nat is setting our challenge at Daring Cardmakers this week — she'd like to see us use alphabet dies or stamps to spell out a sentiment.

I made this to congratulate my nephew on his GCSE results, using an old alphabet stamp set in a font style that contrasted nicely with the big numbers. The little fill-in numbers tie in with his mathematical interests.  

I masked the strip for the sentiment with a piece of low tack tape, stamped numbers to reflect the grades he achieved, added some background stamping and brushed on a bit of ink before removing the tape and stamping the sentiment. I added just a tiny bit of shading to the lettering with a Copic and defined the edge of the strip with a doodled line.

Stamps:
Journal Letters (Hero Arts)
A&P Numbers (Ma Vinci's Reliquary, no longer with us)
Numbers (Katzelkraft)

Paper:

Bristol board

Ink:
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (Peacock Feathers, Salty Ocean, Blueprint Sketch)
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Black)

Other:
Fineliner
Copic marker

Fun and Games

It’s my turn to set the challenge at Daring Cardmakers this week and I'd like to challenge you to a game — indoor games, outdoor games, whatever sort of game you like!

I chose chess and used another of the Katzelkraft bargains I scored a while ago. I picked this set because hubby and eldest grandson sometimes play chess when they get together — the tables have turned and grandad’s experience doesn’t always mean he wins these days! 

This needed to go airmail so my preferred one-layer aesthetic was perfect, a bit of masking to place the pieces on the board and protect them from the inks (smooshed on with acetate), a doodled border and a few glossy dots keep it all light and flat. 

Stamps:
King’s Gambit (Katzelkraft)
Essential Messages (Hero Arts, retired)

Paper:
Bristol board

Ink:
Shadow Ink by Hero Arts (Charcoal and Soft Granite)
Versafine by Tsukineko (Onyx Black)
Tim Holtz Distress and Oxide ink by Ranger (various blues, I lost track)

Other:
Pearl pen by Viva Decor (Anthracite)
Fineliner

Thanks for stopping by. 

Link in the chain - August

It's reveal day again at Card Chain Challenge. Mine has gone to Daja this time.

From the options on offer I chose the colours, the sketch, the theme of fruit and the product option of stencilling.

It’s my usual one layer aesthetic for CCC, simple stamping with a layering stamp set and a bit of masking, a stencilled background and my trademark rounded corner.

Stamps:
Lemon Blossom (The Greetery)

Paper:
Bristol board

Ink:
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (Bundled Sage, Mowed Lawn, Spiced Marmalade)
Adirondack dye ink by Ranger (Sunset Orange)
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Pearlescent Chocolate)

Other:
Strobes stencil (Visible Image)
Corner Chomper 

Thanks for stopping by! There are still a few days to sign up for the next Chain, all the details are here. 

All taped up

I'm setting this week's challenge at Daring Cardmakers — I’d like to see tape used somewhere in the creation of your project.

I used the Magical Masking Tape technique to introduce some subtle variation in my background — I think the camera has picked it up enough to see. I did red, orange and two yellows striping up the card and then lightly brushed on some of the yellow all over (mostly to disguise inky fingerprints!). 

I was aiming for “summer sunset”, given the current situation in many northern hemisphere countries I hope it’s not too “wildfire”! The current challenge at Lost Coast Designs is Summertime so I’m linking up there, too.  

Stamps:
Shrubbery medium (Lost Coast Designs)
Essential Messages (Hero Arts, retired)

Paper:
Bristol board

Ink:
Versafine by Tsukineko (Onyx Black)
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (Barn Door, Spiced Marmalade, Mustard Seed)
Jenni Bowlin ink by Ranger (Lemon Drop)

Other:
Nail art gems
Fineliner
Corner Chomper

Elements for August

It's my turn to set the challenge at Daring Cardmakers this week. As it’s the first Friday of the month, that means an “elemental” challenge — just choose at least three things from the inspiration picture to kick start your project  

I thought it might be fun to revisit the first ever August Elements picture. It turned out to be a very eclectic mix of stuff with lots of scope.

I chose the deer head, woodgrain, white text on black and a little pop of green and red and made a Christmas card. I die cut all the parts for the deer from white card, coloured most with Distress ink and just the antlers and inside the ears with Copics (also used for foliage and berries). I used a pearl pen for his eyes to give them a bit of sheen and put some Glossy Accents on the berries for the same reason  

Stamps:
Merriest Christmas Wishes (Hero Arts, retired)

Paper:
Bristol board
Black

Ink:
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (Antique Linen, Tea Dye, Vintage Photo)
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Black)

Other:
Cool Yule dies (Tim Holtz/Sizzix)
Festive Greenery strip die (Tim Holtz/Sizzix)
Pinewood Planks embossing folder (Stampin Up!)
Copic markers 
Glossy Accents
Pearl pen by Viva Decor (Anthracite)
Bright white detail embossing powder by Wow!

Link in the chain — July

Another month gone so once again we’re round to reveal day for the Card Chain Challenge. Mine went to Brenda this time.

From the options on offer I chose the themes of fish and circles. This is not the card I set out to make but all my crafting mojo seems to have left the building so I just had to go with whatever happened. 

Background is smooshed Distress inks with the weed and bubbles stamped with Distress Oxide over the top. I used a pen cap to stamp some slightly larger “bubbles” as well. Some are filled in with white pen and have Stickles for sparkle. Extra sparkle comes from some silver thread looped behind the fish which is left uncoloured to contrast with the background and has some scrap card behind it to raise it just slightly.

Stamps:
Under the Sea (Darkroom Door)
Essential Messages (Hero Arts)

Paper:
Bristol Board

Ink:
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (various blues)
Tim Holtz Distress Oxide ink by Ranger (Blueprint Sketch, Twisted Citron)
Versafine by Tsukineko (Onyx Black)

Other:
Silver thread
Stickles (Frosted Lace)
White paint pen by Posca
Corner Chomper

There are still a few days to sign up for the next chain if you fancy it - make one card and send it, receive a lovely handmade card for yourself. Thanks for stopping by!

Link in the chain - June

It’s reveal day once again at Card Chain Challenge, my how the months fly by! I had the pleasure of being the filling in a sandwich of new players this month.

My card has gone to Alice who is not only a new player but, much to Gail’s excitement, ticks off a new country for CCC — Finland. Welcome Alice!

From this month’s options I chose the sketch and the colour palette and stuck with my usual one layer aesthetic for CCC, using another of the bargain Katzelkraft stamps I got a while back. I thought the cat looked like she might be about to spring a surprise so the sentiment seemed an appropriate one to go with the image! 

I used a fineliner to extend the line of the stamped image and make a “curtain” that goes all the way to top and bottom of the card. The circles are inked through apertures in my trusty piece of acetate and have doodled edges and white pen highlights. A bit of Copic colouring, a rounded corner and call it done.

Stamps:
Les Gros Chat 09 (Katzelkraft)
Joy (Carabelle Studio)

Paper:
Bristol board

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Black)
Adirondack dye ink by Ranger (Cranberry)
Memento Luxe by Tsukineko (Rosebud)

Other:
Copic markers
Black fineliner
White paint pen by Posca
Corner Chomper

There are still a few days to sign up for the next chain if you fancy it — just make and send one card, get a lovely handmade card just for you, spread some crafty love around the globe!