Grasses at dawn

I'm combining a couple of challenges today — Lost Coast Designs want to see cards where there’s “nobody here”  (no people or humanoid figures) and Retro Rubber is giving us a colour palette of soft pinks and mauves.

I blended pink and mauve inks onto my panel then used a torn scrap of paper to add a couple of shades of pink chalk and Pan Pastel in soft rippled lines for my dawn sky (not sure how well the camera has picked that up).

The sentiment is stamped with the mauve ink and some tiny dotted highlights added with a white paint pen for that dewy morning effect.

Stamps:
Shrubbery medium (Lost Coast Designs - I've had mine at least five years)
Enjoy Quotes (Katzelkraft, no longer with us)

Paper: Bristol board and black

Ink:
Versafine by Tsukineko (Onyx Black)
Versacraft by Tsukineko (Wisteria)
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (Spun Sugar) 

Other:
Chalks
Pan Pastel
Stitched rectangle dies A6 size (Paper Rose)
White paint pen (Posca) 

Thanks for stopping by! Both challenges are linked below if you fancy playing along.

 

The juggling gnome

The current challenges at Christmas Kickstart, Lost Coast Designs and Time Out combined in my head to make this! While hats (CK) lead naturally to  thoughts of gnomes (LCD), the sweet treats called for at Time Out maybe weren't such an obvious fit. I woke up thinking about gnomes juggling candy canes or peppermint candies and decided to see if I could make it happen!

PH gnome usually has his hands by his sides — not an obvious position for juggling. I stamped and cut him out, performing some micro surgery by cutting off his arms and then drawing new ones for him on the card base. He's obviously come to no harm since he's managing to juggle five objects, no problem.

I had no candy cane or peppermint candy images in my stash so I took a deep breath and drew one. Having managed one that looked OK, I scribbled on the back and transferred it five times to some cardstock, coloured and cut them out.

I used my long-neglected Pan Pastels to give a tiny bit of background colour, stuck down gnome and candies, stamped a sentiment and scribbled a little bit of snow under his feet with Enamel accents then sprinkled on some glitter. A fineliner border gives a bit of definition between the die cut panel and the card base.

Stamps:
Pointy Hat Gnome (Lost Coast Designs)
Sentiment from Foxy Christmas (Woodware)

Paper:
Bristol board

Ink:
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (Antique Linen)
Memento Luxe by Tsukineko (Love Letter)

Other:
Stitched rectangles A6 size dies (Paper Rose)
Coloured pencils
Pan Pastel (Pthalo Green Tint)
Enamel Accents by Ranger (White)
Glamour Dust by DecoArt (Crystal)
Black fineliner

 Thanks for stopping by!

Link in the chain — March

It’s reveal day once again at Card Chain Challenge, lots of lovely and very diverse cards to admire as usual.

From the options on offer this month I chose the theme of gnomes. I started off with the sketch as well but things sort of evolved and the sketch got rather lost. Of course I also used the product option of stamps, it’s still a rare card from me that doesn’t feature stamping.

PH Gnome is full of the joys of spring and pleased to have an opportunity to show off a different outfit as he's usually masquerading as Santa. Having noticed the flowers pushing up through the grass at the base of his favourite tree, he couldn’t resist picking one to adorn his hat. 

The clouds on the chalked sky are hand drawn, everything is coloured with Copics and the embossed sentiment is a folder I’ve had for ages — it’s a set of three and this is the first time this one has been out to play. As my card was going to the lovely Jo this time, I thought some embossing was in order as a little nod to the glory days of the Let’s Squash It challenge. Joining in the “old supplies” vibe, that tree hasn’t seen ink for a very long time (maybe 2009?!) but I thought the whimsical style would work well with the gnome.

Stamps:
Pointy Hat Gnome (Lost Coast Designs)
Spring Trees (Kim Hughes for Cornish Heritage Farms, no longer with us)

Paper:
Bristol board

Ink:
Adirondack by Ranger (Espresso)

Other:
Copic markers
Sayings embossing folder (Darice)
Chalk
Zig sketching pen (dark brown)

I don't usually combine my CCC cards with other challenges but as Lost Coast is celebrating gnomes this month, I'll make an exception and link up there! 

Thanks for stopping by! There’s still time to sign up for the April challenge at CCC if you fancy making and sending one card and getting a card in return. And a whole month to play at LCD!

A visit to the Louvre

The meerkats are having a day out in Paris so of course a visit to the Louvre is in order. They’re so excited by seeing the Mona Lisa that they just couldn’t resist a photo bomb — one for the album! They’re joining in with Lost Coast Designs’ current challenge to “make it funny”.

This was originally intended as a one layer card but I managed to smear watercolour in several places so I ended up cutting out the image and giving it some photo corners on a new card base. 

I seem to be almost incapable of making a card without masking at the moment! The meerkats were stamped and masked before Mona was stamped. She has a hazy watercolour background and the meerkats are also watercoloured as I used Versafine ink so needed to lay off the Copics!

I've used Glossy Accents on the meerkats' eyes and done a few decorative scattered dots as well, just for some textural interest along with the scored lines so I'm linking up at Time Out too where the current theme is to use a clear element. 

Stamps:

No Hat Mona (Lost Coast Designs)
Les Surikats (Katzelkraft, no longer with us)
Sentiment (Cornish Heritage Farms, no longer with us)

Paper:
Bristol board , scrap of black

Ink:
Versafine by Tsukineko (Onyx Black)

Other:
Watercolours
ATC Corners die (Tim Holtz/Sizzix)
Glossy Accents
Corner Chomper

Cold toes?

I had a plan for joining in at the current Lost Coast Designs challenge where the team would like us to make it funny. Then I saw the current Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers challenge theme of Cold and this idea popped into my head and refused to go away until an attempt at making it had happened! The original idea might still get a look in before the month ends, we’ll see.

It’s a version of an age old joke but I thought the expression on the dog’s face fit it perfectly, poor wee thing! Wording is computer generated, it’s a bit situation-specific for anyone to make a stamp, I reckon! Torn paper snow, paint pen dots (I probably should have splattered but I didn’t think of that in time!) and my usual rounded corner finish it off.

Stamps:
Pointy Hat Gnome (Lost Coast Designs)
Les Chiens (Katzelkraft, no longer with us)

Paper:
Kraft, scrap of white

Ink:
Versafine by Tsukineko (Onyx Black)

Other:
Coloured pencils
White paint pen (Posca)
Corner Chomper
Black fineliner

My punny Valentine

I wanted to make a Valentine for my DH but nothing was really gelling until I saw the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers challenge this month — Black, Black Heart. When combined with Lost Coast Designs and We Love Stamping who both have the theme of Hearts this happened.

I've had this embossing folder for ages (I had to have it after seeing this card on Jo's blog but have failed to use it until now! Looking at it again reminds me how much I miss the Let’s Squash It! Challenge). The folder gives a fantastically deep impression. I guess black is not traditional but it is dramatic!

The original plan was to print out a quote from Einstein about love and gravity but the printer is playing up and then this pun popped into my head and refused to go away. That meant I spent ages cutting and then sticking on individual letters -- good job it's going to someone special, eh? 

I ran a copper gel pen round the edge of the embossed piece, just for a bit of contrast

Stamps:
Einstein (Carmen's Veranda)

Paper:
Smooth black
Bristol board 

Ink:
Versafine by Tsukineko (Onyx Black)

Other:
Typewriter font dies (Tim Holtz/Sizxzix)
Romantic 3D embossing folder (Sizzix)
Copper gel pen
Stitched rectangle dies A6 size (Paper Rose) 

Thanks for stopping by!

Coffee companion

Kathy commented on the tea fairy card I made recently asking about the possibility of a coffee fairy. Tee-Hee was keen to prove her credentials as an accommodating sort (but points out she’s actually a pixie). As Kathy’s been doing battle with a nasty lurgy recently, I figured an easy cuppa might be just the job so Tee-Hee got her way and upped the level of caffeination!

Coffee bags are not something I’ve tried but thinking about whether they existed (they do, there’s one in this card in the same way there was a tea bag in the tea card) triggered the memory of little individual “over cup” filters in the first place I ever worked. Those had what was essentially a big round coffee bag in the base of a filter basket that sat on top of a cup — you filled the basket and let the coffee drip through. Totally wasteful plastic-wise but I guess every person got freshly brewed coffee. My 14 year old waitress self didn’t really appreciate the faff though!

The cup is the bottom one from a stacked tower. That meant I couldn’t do this as a genuine one layer card as it’s pretty much impossible to stamp that one cup so I fussy cut and stuck it in place.

I’ll add this to the January Lost Coast Designs challenge as my final entry this month.

Stamps:
TeeHee HLP (Lost Coast Designs)
Coffee and Tea (Crafty Secrets, no longer with us)
Tea time (I think that's what it's called)(Crafter's Companion)

Paper:
Bristol board 

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Black)

Other:
Copic markers
Coloured pencils
Wink of Stella pen
Gift card dies (Waltzingmouse Stamps, no longer with us)
Corner Chomper

Winged thoughts

Combining the bubble border with a butterfly image was actually my first idea for January’s “Winged Things” challenge at Lost Coast Designs but I got sidetracked into other projects along the way. I have managed to get the idea out of my head and onto a card before the challenge ends though. 

I’m also playing again at We Love Stamping where this month’s theme is “new”. The very pretty sentiment is new — it’s from another of the Katzelkraft sets I bought recently.

A new to me challenge is Time Out where the current theme is to be inspired by a favourite technique. I heat embossed my bubble border to create little cells for watercolour media — it’s a quick and easy way to contain your colour without having to be too careful so that’s a win in my book! This is also CAS which is one of my favourite ways to make cards so if that’s considered a technique (rather than a style) then I’ll claim that too.

I used a Copic marker to fill in the black at the edge and the butterfly is watercoloured. The wings are bent up a little so it looks like she’s just landed and there’s some gentle sparkle courtesy of Wink of Stella. Having chopped off her antennae when  I fussy cut the butterfly, I drew some new ones with a quick flick of a fineliner.

Stamps:
Bubble border (Lost Coast Designs)
Antique Engravings (Hero Arts, retired)
Enjoy Quotes (Katzelkraft, no longer with us)

Paper:
Bristol board 

Ink:
Versafine by Tsukineko (Onyx Black)

Other:
Zig Clean Color markers
Watercolour pencils (Derwent)
Wink of Stella pen (clear)
Black fineliner
Detail embossing powder (clear)

Tea fairy

It’s always nice when the tea fairy calls (i.e. someone else makes you a cuppa and delivers it to your elbow when you’re working). Failing that, just making time to sit for a few minutes with a nice brew can make a difference to your day. 

So, with that and the current Lost Coast Designs challenge (Winged Things) in mind, I made a little presentation card for a tea bag. I’ve had this tea fairy stamp for ages and never got round to using her before. She’s rather sweet even if she does look slightly mischievous! She’s got sparkly pink hair as well as sparkly wings, just because. I fully expected my Wink of Stella pen to have dried up as it must be several years since I used it but it delivered, no problem. 

I cut little tabs inside the card to hold a tea bag in a paper sachet with a die designed to cut them to hold a gift card. My sachet was slightly wider than the usual gift card so I modified by cutting one side, then shifting the die to cut the other.

Sending a special tea bag can be a nice way to say to a friend “I’m thinking of you, make sure you take some time for yourself".

Stamps:
TeeHee HLP (Lost Coast Designs)
Retro Women 2 (Tanda Stamps, no longer with us)

Paper:
Bristol board 

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Black)

Other:
Copic markers
Coloured pencils
Wink of Stella pen
Gift card dies (Waltzingmouse Stamps, no longer with us)
Corner Chomper

Birthday bird

I’m playing with Katzelkraft stamps again. I’m not sure what this chap actually is — I’m tending towards albatross but if anyone knows any better, let me know! In any case, he has wings so I’m playing at Lost Coast Designs where this month’s theme is Winged Things. As this is a newly-acquired stamp I’m also joining We Love Stamping where the theme is “New”.

The Perspective Floor stamp gave him a great grounding. I did have to fill in a bit by hand as I didn’t cut the mask between his legs (too fragile and unstable) so the flooring pattern was missing there. Don’t tell anyone but I messed up matching the filled in squares — I don’t think the recipient would notice if you didn’t point it out! I kept the slightly psychedelic feel going with the background stencil.

I added just a little bit of smudged pencil around the die cut sentiment to accentuate it a bit. The original plan was to  just have it white but it looked a wee bit lost once it was stuck down. I figured if the pencil didn’t look right either I could always erase it!

Stamps:
We Are All Mad Here (Katzelkraft, no longer with us)
 Perspective Floor (Lost Coast Designs)

Paper:
Bristol board 

Ink:
Versafine by Tsukineko (Onyx Black)
Hero Arts Shadow Ink (Soft Granite)
Tim Holtz Distress Ink by Ranger (Peacock Feathers)

Other:
Copic markers
Posca paint pen (white)
Time Tunnel stencil (Visible Image)
Clear detail embossing powder
Momento marker (London Fog)
Happy Birthday Poe Script die (Poppystamps)

Going gnome for Christmas

I’m gradually getting back into the swing of cardmaking as I increase the amount of usable worktop in my craft room! And I’ve found my two favourite black inks so things are looking up. I’m concentrating on getting a few Christmas cards made so at least a few folk will get a hand made card this year  

Lost Coast Designs has an “anything goes” challenge this month so I'm playing along there as Pointy Hat Gnome is doing his very best Santa impression — I even gave his hat a pompom topper! Jo is sticking to her December tradition at Christmas Kickstart of “if it’s Christmassy, link it up!” so PH Gnome is putting in an appearance there too. Links to both challenges at the bottom of this post.

I did start off colouring directly on the card base with pencils but I couldn’t get the colours quite as vivid as I wanted so I stamped and coloured on white cardstock then fussy cut and stuck him on. 

Stamps:
Pointy Hat Gnome (Lost Coast Designs)
Sparkle All the Way (Crafters Companion)

Paper:

Raven black
Bristol board 

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Blac)

Other:
Detail embossing powder (silver)
Copic markers
Posca paint pen (white)
Corner Chomper

If you’re still in Christmas card mode, why not come and play?

Something silly!

Tap, tap, tap -  testing, testing, is this thing on? 

Hello! I'm dusting things off in here and seeing if I still remember how to do a post having just about established that I sort of remember how to make a card! I've been parted from my craft stuff for longer than I care to think about by a house move that got complicated, I won't bore you with the details.

To ease back in I thought I'd do a challenge - I've been keeping an eye on a few even while I couldn't make anything. Lost Coast Designs is always fun and the current challenge has a festive theme so I'm playing there as I've just managed to locate the box of Christmas supplies!

Albert is quite excited about the festive season, although he's still insisting that his breakthrough equation should take centre stage. He's chosen an oversized hat so he doesn't have to flatten his hair too much. Stamping, masking, colouring, a bit of fussy cutting and a die cut panel - see, I've remembered at least some of the fundamentals!

What I haven't done is found the camera or set up photo editing software (new computer as well as a house move!) so excuse the slightly rudimentary camera phone photo.

Stamps:
Einstein (Carmen's Veranda)
Ho Ho Ho (Visible Image)
Vintage Christmas Expressions (Cornish Heritage Farms, no longer with us)
It's My Type (Ma Vinci's Reliquary, no longer with us)

Paper:
Cryogen White 

Ink:
Hero Arts Soft Granite
Versafine Onyx Black
Momento Love Letter

Other:
Stitched Rectangles A6 size dies (Paper Rose)
Copic markers
Fineliner
Corner Chomper

If you're feeling festive with your stamps, why not pop over to Lost Coast and join in - you can use any manufacturer's rubber or clear stamps to play along if you don't have Lost Coast or Carmen's Veranda stamps to play with (see the rules page for full details).

Card chain challenge — March

It’s reveal day at Card Chain Challenge — 35 cardmakers signed up to make a card and send it off to the next link in the chain this time! Mine went to Viv so it didn’t have too far to travel.

From the options on offer I chose the sketch and the technique option of block and string stamping. I wanted to stick with the circular elements of the sketch so I actually used a cotton reel as my block and wrapped string through the hole to make a sort of sunburst pattern. A bit of extra inking through a circular aperture in my trusty piece of acetate accentuated the pattern. Gnomie is stamped and masked before adding the background elements. 

I thought green and orange would be good colours for spring and it was only afterwards it made me think of carrots (for the Easter bunny?).

Stamps:
Pointy hat gnome (Lost Coast Designs)
Say It Loud (Waltingmouse Stamps, no longer with us)

Paper:
Bristol board

Ink:

Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Black)
Tim Holtz Distress Oxide by Ranger (Cracked Pistachio)

Other:
Copic markers
String wrapped round a cotton reel
Corner Chomper

Thanks for stopping by!

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

All loved up

As Valentine’s Day is almost upon us, Dawn has set us a challenge with the theme of "all loved up" at Daring Cardmakers this week. 

I’ve gone for hearts and made a fairly masculine card. I’ve also tied in with a couple of other challenges — Lost Coast Designs where the theme is love and hearts along with stamping and Die Cut Divas who would like to see some gold along with using your die cutter. 

I was lucky enough to have my name come out of the LCD challenge hat recently and chose the fabulous Perspective Floor stamp as part of my prize. Of course, being me the first thing I did was something other than use it as a floor! I’ve stamped in a vertical orientation, turned and matched up the pattern (there’s actually a stamp in the LCD catalogue that would do the job for you — it’s called Fourth Dimension — but I’m never one for making things easy for myself, am I?!).

I haven’t used these primitive hearts for ages so it was nice to revisit those. The design sort of evolved a bit, I messed up what I originally planned for the smaller heart and then remembered the Die Cut Divas challenge and covered it all up with gold leafing! I used a two way glue pen and deliberately tried to introduce some texture. It's very shiny and reflective and difficult to photograph!

Stamps:
Perspective Floor  (Lost Coast Designs)
Everyday Petites (Cornish Heritage Farms, no longer with us)

Paper:
Bristol board

Ink:
Versafine by Tsukineko (Onyx Black)
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (Barn Door, Fired Brick)

Other:
Mega Flake by Indigo Blu (Chariot of Fire)
Zig two way glue pen
Primitive Hearts Bigz die (Sizzix)
Stitched rectangles dies A6 size (Paper Rose)
Fineliner

 

Super scary season

As we’re approaching Hallowe’en, Rizwana would like to see some scary ghosts, witches, bats, spiders etc for this week’s challenge at Daring Cardmakers. Traditional green and purple welcome but branch out if the mood takes you that way!

I always say I don’t have any Hallowe’en stamps, so when I won a prize from Lost Coast Designs a while ago, I chose a stamp that might fit the bill! I think this raven would have done Edgar Alan Poe proud so could have gone for “Nevermore” but decided to leave it with no sentiment. I did play around with a sentiment strip but I liked it better without. LCD have their usual October 31 Days of Hallowe’en challenge running so I’m linking up there too. 

Stamping, masking, ink blending over a torn paper edge and a touch of Copic colouring is as complicated as things get here. I did doodle a border and splatter some white gold watercolour as finishing touches.

Stamps:
Goth Raven  (Lost Coast Designs)

Paper:
Bristol board 

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Black)
Tim Holtz Distress ink  by Ranger (Dusty Concord) and Oxide (Wilted Violet) 

Other:
Copic markers
Gansai Tambi Starry Colours paints
Fineline marker

Autumn leaves

Time for a new challenge at Let's Squash It  and I’m delighted to be joining Jo and Gail as Guest Designer again this month. 

The theme this time is trees and/or leaves. I did a bit of both with trees on the embossing folder and die cut leaves for good measure. This little chap had a wintery adventure at this woodland spot last year, padding through snow between the trees — I thought it might be fun to give him some crunchy autumn foliage to kick up this year! I inked a piece of card with a few Distress inks then die cut the leaves to put under his feet.

Stamps:
Pointy Hat Gnome (Lost Coast Designs)
Sentiment from Essential Messages (Hero Arts, retired)

Paper:
Bristol board 

Ink:
Brilliance by Tsukineko (Graphite Black, Pearlescent Chocolate)
Tim Holtz Distress ink by Ranger (Mustard Seed, Rusty Hinge, Spiced Marmalade)

Other:
Woodland embossing folder (Stampin’ Up!)
Leaves dies (Impression Obsession)
Stitched rectangle dies, A6 size (Paper Rose)
Fineline marker
Copic markers
Gel glue

Why not break out an embossing folder and something with trees or leaves and come join the fun, there’s always a little prize on offer for a randomly chosen winner at Let’s Squash It and it’s always a lovely bunch of crafters taking part!

Oh, and with his drift of autumn leaves and backdrop of tree trunks, Gnomie thought he should enter the Four Seasons October challenge, too!