Oddball Art Co. Christmas Cards

Well, Oddballs, any celebrations you attended for "Christmas in July" are done and dusted and we are on the downward slide to Christmas 2018 - where did the year go?

Our Oddball theme is "Lost Souls of Innocent Dolls".  Well, ever since I heard that theme, all I could think of  was all the little girls in the world asking Santa for dolls, so I decided to pick out an image that reminded me of a little girl and I came up with

 #357: Alex at Christmas Holiday Alex: https://www.oddballartco.com/product-page/digital-stamp-kawaii-big-eye-alex-at-christmas-holiday-alex-image-no-357

For added interest I also used

#260: Cute Kawaii Bear on Stack of Presents: https://www.oddballartco.com/product-page/digital-stamp-cute-kawaii-bear-on-stack-of-presents-image-no-260

and #97: Kawaii Bunny One Dollar Stamp: https://www.oddballartco.com/product-page/printable-stamp-kawaii-bunny-digital-download-image-no-97

Hope you like the start of my cards for Christmas 2018, say it slower and it might not get here so fast.

I also made this last one using an image I purchased from Oddball Stamps, even before I became a DT member. This is the link #389: Christmas the capricious carolers: https://www.oddballartco.com/product-page/digital-stamp-big-eye-whimsical-christmas-the-capricious-carolers-image-no-389

This image is great for Christmas cards and also includes sentiments. Please don't forget when purchasing from our shop include my discount code to save you 10% on your order.

DTGAIL10

Links for our August blog challenge https://www.oddballartco.com/challenge-blog

and ATC Swap https://www.oddballartco.com/community/oddball-art-swaps/oddball-art-atc-swap-august-2018

Hope to see you at both our August events.

Oddball Skylar Inspiration

Today I would like to show you a card I made using Oddball Art Co. IMG#204. This image comes with a bonus set of sentiments and I have used one of them in this card.

Don't forget we still have our June Blog Challenge going till the end of June 2018.  The optional theme is Mermaids in Outer Space.  Here is the June Challenge link. You still have time to enter.

Don't forget to use my discount code when you are over at the Oddball Art Co. shop to get 10% off your order.

                                                   DTGAIL10

Oddball Art Stamps - Postcards

I have been seeing so many lovely creations that arrive with my ATC swaps each month, so I have decided to give this postcard thing a go and send them with my ATCs.  First of all I found a postcard back to use on some that represented that I live in Australia and that mail can take a while from my country to its destination, something that is frustrating me to no end.  Next I printed out the freebie paper Lizzy kindly gave us in the first newsletter, first just on copy paper. Ok so I have postcard backs and patterned paper, I then matted the patterned paper on cardstock and put the postcard on the back.

As you see I then decorated the front with IMG442, a digi specially designed for our Mermaids from Outer Space June theme.  The digi is available here https://www.oddballartco.com/product-page/digital-stamp-mermaids-from-outerspace-image-no-442.  Now with these postcards I have an Oddball image on the front and I can use the back to send a little message to my swap partner.

Now I thought, let's change it up a bit and print on cardstock.  I decided to find another postcard template.  This time I wanted to try doing everything on one side.  I use Publisher for setting up my digi stamps, only because, I am more familiar with it due to many years of newsletters for various groups my kids and I have belonged to.  I always got the newsletter editor jobs and that's why I purchased Publisher.  Word probably works the same, but I guess it is just what you are used to!  I set up 4 postcards to a page and began putting text and a few miscellaneous Oddball images on the page.  This is printed on ordinary cardstock, and if the Copics are not successful on this, I will just use other markers.  I also printed on my Copic cardstock, another Mermaids in Outer Space image, larger this time, because I must admit I went a little too small the last time, which made me not as happy with my colouring.

Here is the finished product and some spares for me to use on future swaps.

Postcards for my ATC Swaps, so happy with this project.  Now I have more options of what to send with my ATCs.

Don't forget our Blog Challenge this month with the optional theme of Mermaids of Outer Space.  Here is the link to Blog Challenge

and our ATC Swap has moved to the new website  here ATC Swap

Don't forget when you are looking to purchase some images, use my discount code for a further 10% of your order.  It is

                                                   DTGAIL10                               

Oddball Art Stamps - Sally #IMG11/11B

My inspiration today for the closing days of  the"Messy & Sketchy" theme over at Oddball Stamps is Sally IMG#11/11B.  She is such a cutie.  I have chosen a "get well soon" card.  I got my Gelli Plate out again and chose purple, mauve and green paints to play with.  After my background was dry, I added a script stamp inked with Versamark and embossed with Stampendous Fran-tage Shabby White embossing enamel and this is the result.

I placed the background on a mauve square card base and proceeded to decorate as shown with flowers and black doily from my stash.  I hope you like my inspiration.  Sally is such a cutie.  She can be found on the Oddball website shop - here is the link https://www.oddballartco.com/product-page/digital-stamp-big-eye-bedtime-pajamas-girl-sally-image-no-11


and don't forget my discount code for 10% off your order.


                                           DTGAIL10

Oddball Stamps "Messy & Sketchy" April 2018 theme

This month's theme is "Messy & Sketchy" over at Oddball Stamps.  This is an optional theme for the Blog challenge https://oddballstamps.blogspot.com.au/2018/04/oddball-art-stamps-april-2018-blog.html  It is optional but maybe if you take a look at some of the DT inspiration on the blog, you might be able to come up with something.  Hope to see you there, regardless of the theme!




My inspiration for this theme comes in the form of a birthday card.

I started with a white card and the background is one of my first attempts with the Gelli Plate.  To the background I added some ink drops in two shades, but they look the same when on the page and I added ink blotch punches on foam tape.  The image I have used is IMG#232/(B) Shannon available here https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/237082643/instant-download-kawaii-big-eye-girl?ref=shop_home_active_28 - she is great value with a speech bubble and heaps of sentiments.  Her jumper has the words I AM on it and I have added the word MESSY (if you can see it).  I coloured her with Copics, used the Happy Birthday sentiment from the set and found a quote which I thought suited the Messy theme.  I highlighted some of the words with a fluoro Copic.  The sparkle chipboard word is from my vast collection of Make It Crafty chipboard, a favourite Australian company of mine, Oh and I tried my hand at a big of doodling around the frame of the messy background.

Don't forget my discount code - DTGAIL10

You can get 10% off your order with this code.

If you are new to the wonderful world of Oddball Art Stamps and like what you see, be sure to join our Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/OddballArtStamps/.  We have an Oddball of a time - a monthly Blog challenge and a monthly ATC Swap which is a real ball.  See you there!

I am entering the following with this project:

https://pdelinkyparty.blogspot.com.au/2018/04/challenge-15-anything-goes.html

http://audsentimentschallengeblog.blogspot.com.au/2018/04/201-happy-birthday-aud-sentiments.html

http://seizethebirthday.blogspot.com.au/2018/04/vibrant-colors.html

http://throughthepurplehazechallenges.blogspot.com.au/2018/04/challenge-143-springeaster.html



Oddball Art Co. #395 Bookworm

My project today is a bookmark made with img*395 Bookworm.  What a perfect image for a bookmark and also a subtle "Not tonight Darling" sentiment to go with it.  I put the sentiment on the top of the bookmark for obvious reasons as you can see in my second photo.  I also laminated the bookmark to protect it a bit.  I have had a laminator and sleeves for years, hope they are OK and stay gripped.  To cut down the thickness I just used a coloured piece of paper, not cardboard, to cover my Copic colouring at the back. 

Oh, I forgot to mention, the grey shading around the owl is not a Copic, it is two shades of old eye shadow I have transferred from my makeup stash to my craft stash.  Just think of what I could have done with all that old makeup I threw out a couple of years back.  Not to worry, due to do it again, look out craft stash, there is more to add.

I hope you have enjoyed looking at my bookmark and it inspires you to make one.  There are lots of great images to use in the Etsy shop and when you get there don't forget to use my exclusive discount code to get you another 10% of your order.

                                                                         DTGAIL10

The links you need are:

 Bookworm https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/531807340/instant-download-big-eye-owl-digital?ga_search_query=bookworm&ref=shop_items_search_4 but if you do a search using the word bookworm you will also come up with more that would also be perfect for a bookmark.

https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/OddballArtCo?show_panel=true&search_query=bookworm

If you haven't joined Oddball Art Co. Facebook Group, also check this link out

https://www.facebook.com/groups/OddballArtStamps/ and if you have some Oddball images why not join in our monthly challenge over on the Oddball Blog, this month's optional twist is Itsy, Bitsy, Teenie, Weenie  http://oddballstamps.blogspot.com.au/2018/03/oddball-art-stamps-march-2018-blog.html

We have oddballs of fun over at both the blog and the group!  Don't forget my discount code to purchase your favourite images in the Etsy shop.  See you soon again with another great Oddball project!

I have entered the following:

http://catchthebugblog.blogspot.com.au/2018/03/a-theme-challenge-natures-wonders-all.html

http://angiesdigitalstamps.blogspot.com.au/2018/03/ch-18-agno-twist-winners-from-ch-17.html

http://lilpatchofcraftyfriends.blogspot.com.au/2018/03/challenge-77.html

http://sirstampalotchallenge.blogspot.com.au/2018/03/march-challenge.html

http://corrosivechallengesbyjanet.blogspot.com.au/2018/03/challenge-3-march-anything-goes.html



Oddball Art Stamps IMG#290 Dino Girl Jumping on the Bed

 I am back again with another fantastic Oddball image.  I told you working with Oddball Stamps was going to broaden my horizons.  Well this time I have used digital stamps on a scrapbook page.  This is a FIRST for me!  Even though I have been buying digital stamps for quite a few years now, sorry to my large collection of other stamps, and this is the first time I have thought to use them on a page.  Well I could not resist;  when I saw Dino Girl Jumping on the Bed, dressed in that dinosaur costume, I thought straight away of my youngest grand-daughter Isla-May.  She is 3 next month and is the cutest, so that fits in with Oddball's theme this month!  I had four photos to work with because I didn't want to leave any out. I wanted something clean and simple, so no bling!  This is the result:

This kid absolutely loves dinosaurs and can even tell you all the specie names of the dinosaurs.  Her Mum and Dad, as well as Verity and Mac have taught her well and her speech is so clear when telling you the names;  I can't even pronounce some of them.  Her favourite is a pachyrhinosaurus!  It's worth Googling just to see what she is on about!

I have used #290 available in the Etsy shop here https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/268502290/instant-download-big-eye-kawaii-dino?ga_search_query=290&ref=shop_items_search_1 as well as using the little dinosaur Baby D #413 available here https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/573902565/digital-stamp-instant-download-cute?ga_search_query=Dino&ref=shop_items_search_3.

Please don't forget to use my discount code when over at the Etsy shop.  You will get a 10% discount off your whole order.

                                                              DTGAIL10

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget that discount code!  See you soon.  If you want to join the Oddball Art Stamps Group stop by here and request to join.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/OddballArtStamps/  We have a ball, I mean an oddball of a time over there and I am really enjoying the ATC Swaps!

I am entering:

http://abitmoretimetocraft.blogspot.com.au/2018/02/a-bit-more-time-to-craft-challenge-62.html

http://avenue613.blogspot.com.au/2018/02/challenge-206-anything-goes-optional.html

http://starstampz.blogspot.com.au/2018/02/make-it-girly-challenge.html



Oddball Art Co. February Theme "Cute or Die"

This month's theme for the Oddball Blog Challenge and the ATC Swap is "Cute or Die".  I am an Oddball, but I think I am into more Cute than Die, but I am sure my fellow DT members might try and coax me into the dark side at some stage.  The image I have used for my inspiration is Cat Lady Image #424 and is available in the Etsy shop here https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/584567073/digital-stamp-instant-download-cute?ga_search_query=cat+girl&ref=shop_items_search_1.


 I also added Image #26 https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/182194913/digi-stamp-digital-instant-download?ga_search_query=Kawaii+hearts&ref=shop_items_search_8

I have made another magnetic bookmark, however, this time I have laminated it to protect it a bit more.  I will be giving it to my nine year old grand-daughter Verity.  She loves cats, her family has 3  and she loves reading, she is a real "Cat Girl".  I am happy with my improved bookmark and I hope she is too.  This is the inside where I have put the magnets.

If you want to check out the Oddball Group on Facebook you can join here https://www.facebook.com/groups/OddballArtStamps/ and join in all the frivolity us Oddballs engage in on the Group page.  Here is the link to our Blog Challenge for February, remember the optional twist theme is "Cute or Die" https://oddballstamps.blogspot.com.au/2018/02/oddball-art-stamps-february-2018-blog.html.




Last but not least, don't forget my discount code which you can use at the Etsy shop https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/OddballArtCo?ref=l2-shopheader-name to get 10% off your whole order


                                                            DTGAIL10








I am entering the following with this bookmark:


http://emeraldcitycraftschallengeblog.blogspot.com.au/2018/02/challenge-8.html
http://crafting-with-friends.blogspot.com.au/2018/02/challenge-60.html
http://throughthepurplehazechallenges.blogspot.com.au/2018/02/news-and-new-challenge-141-add-some.html
http://craftingwithanattitude.blogspot.com.au/2018/02/challenge-36.html
https://pdelinkyparty.blogspot.com.au/2018/02/challenge-6-valentine-cards-or-treats.html
http://thepapershelter.blogspot.com.au/2018/02/challenge-325-for-one-you-love.html

Oddball Art Co. ATC Swap January 2018

I told you I was expanding my horizons being on the Oddball DT. Now my fellow members have me doing ATCs!  I have never attempted this before, so hang on for a ride into uncharted territory. Well here they are - not 1 for the first attempt, why not be game, let's go for a set of three for the Oddball Facebook Group January ATC Swap using the January theme of "Feature a Creature".

To be honest I think I could get into this ATC craze.  Why not join me - first you have to a member of the Oddball Art Stamps group on Facebook, here is the link
https://www.facebook.com/groups/OddballArtStamps/ and then after you join that just check out the Events tab each month.  We have a swap each month, using the monthly theme.  Here is the link for January's Feature a Creature ATC Swap https://www.facebook.com/events/2015830501965001/


The images I have used for my ATCs are available in the Etsy Shop https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/OddballArtCo?ref=l2-shopheader-name
The images are #413, #417 and #418.  Oh nearly forgot, it you use my code DTGAIL10, it will allow you to get 10% off your order in the Etsy shop.


I loved looking for ideas and quotes to use these images on the ATCs and can't wait to tackle the next swap.  Hope to see you there!  Bye for now and thanks for stopping by.  It's all about trying something new in 2018!

Oddball Art Co. New Release/Feature a Creature

Today’s post is to showcase a couple of Oddball stamps, but shock, horror, as I mentioned in my first DT post for Oddball, I am getting out of my comfort zone! This post is not about cards! It is my first attempt at Bookmarks, not your ordinary rectangle ones you just slip in the book - it is about magnetic ones!

OK this was my own attempt, no You-tube video help, just my idea, probably would have done better with a bit of research, but here goes.  The idea behind the bookmark came from a visit to my grandchildren's house before Christmas to see their school presentation.  In the couple of days I was there, my grandson was reading to me before he went to bed and I noticed he had a marker pen stuck in the book for a bookmark.  I said don't you have a bookmark Mac, he said no, but of course his Mum disagreed with him.  Anyhow when I saw Bubba Baboon, I thought, I could make one for Mac.  Well here is the first attempt -

As soon as I fuzzy cut around the image, I knew I had done the wrong thing, but I continued and cut up an advertising fridge magnet to act as the closure on the page.  I then did a demo of it on my diary page and thought, no this is not for Mac.  A seven-year old boy and a fragile bookmark, no way, but I thought I am not going to waste my first attempt.  I reinforced it with a strip of card, which I might add was probably a useless idea and I am now using for myself because I know its fragility.  I am calling it my "Bubba Baboon Diary Marker". You ladies who are experts on Planner accessories might have another name for it, but at the moment I am into diaries, I have to be, I got three for Christmas!

Not to give up now, I attempted another bookmark.  This is the second one -

For a child's bookmark, no flimsy top, so I went with a rectangular design, no fuzzy cutting around the images this time.  I combined IMG418 Baby D with the books from IMG297 Astrid the Fairy, image I have had for a while now.  When looking at the Etsy shop for image numbers to link my project to, I came across another one of Lizzy's images which has books and only books in it, so I would not have needed to crop, so I will list that one as an alternative at the end of this post.  I think I will give this bookmark to my two-year old grand-daughter Isla-May as she LOVES dinosaurs!  It's dinosaurs everything at the moment and she knows and can say all the species of dinosaurs too!  Happier with that one.  OK attempt No. 3 - back to one for Mac.

Success, a stronger bookmark for Mac now. Although after glueing on the magnet pieces, I wondered if I should have laminated them and then attached the magnets.  Maybe next time I tackle a bookmark project I will see how that would go, but then again , folding the laminate might be a problem.  When I scored the bookmarks in half, I actually put two score marks on each one instead of just one, not very far apart but enough to hold a few pages.  Now the images I have used in this project are available here:

Bubba Baboon Image 418 https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/581156085/digital-stamp-instant-download-cute-fun?ref=shop_home_active_7

Baby D Image 413 https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/573902565/digital-stamp-instant-download-cute?ga_search_query=Baby&ref=shop_items_search_11

Astrid the Fairy (with books) Image 297 https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/272413678/instant-download-big-eye-bookworm-fairy?ga_search_query=astrid&ref=shop_items_search_1 (love this image)

An alternative if looking for books digi Image 249 https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/244260359/2-stamps-set-instant-download-digi-stamp?ga_search_query=books&ref=shop_items_search_5 or another one I just found

Spooky Book Stack Image 199 https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/228412368/digi-stamp-instant-download-oddball?ga_search_query=books&ref=shop_items_search_7

I hope you like my post and it didn't bore you because of its length.  Hope you will pop in again soon!

Don't forget when you visit the Etsy store https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/OddballArtCo?ref=l2-shopheader-name use my code

DTGAIL10

 to get an extra 10% discount off your order.

I am entering the following:

http://animalfriendschallenge.blogspot.com.au/2018/01/58-januar-2018-neubeginn.html



Oddball Art Stamps "Sleeping Fox"

My first post as a Design Team member of Oddball Art Stamps; wow, so surprised I got this gig with such a well known digital company. Well here goes - the January 2018 Blog Challenge Theme is "Feature a Creature", always optional of course.  For this inspiration I checked out my Oddball collection and found "Sleeping Fox", what a cutie! Here is my photo of the image, I took a quote from Google and added it to the back of the fox, quite effective I think.  From there I thought, now what sort of card will this be and the rest evolved.  You will find the Blog challenge under current blog challenges over at  Oddball Art Stamps.



This image is available in the Etsy shop and it is at a really good price too!  I wasn't sure what to do with this image now it was mounted on the card and then I remembered some fox design paper I had in my stash.  Then came the idea of using some pre-made stepper cards I bought ages ago, just the right colour - kraft; and from that I came up with a birthday card for a friend.  The quote helped me come up with that. Here is another couple of photos to showcase the card.  I have also used some Make It Crafty chipboard, my favourite chipboard for cards and a couple of embellishments from Rainbow Splendour, another Aussie business.

 I hope you like Sleeping Fox just as much as I do and should you wish to purchase something from Oddball, feel free to use my special discount code DTGAIL10 to save a further 10% off your order.

Now a recap of the Blog Challenge rules:

1. Anything Goes with an Optional Theme - if you are chosen as the winner and have played along with the optional theme, you will win 1 extra image
2. Please mention our Blog Challenge and link back to your personal blog/galleries entry - not your whole blog.
3. Your creation must be new and no back linking
4. Limit of 3 entries per person

 I am entering the following challenges with this card:


http://worldwideopendesignteamchallenge.blogspot.com.au/2017/12/world-wide-open-design-team-challenge-29.html
https://classicdesignteamchallenge.blogspot.com.au/2018/01/1st-january-2018-classic-design-team.html

http://animalfriendschallenge.blogspot.com.au/2018/01/58-januar-2018-neubeginn.html


http://craftygalscornerchallenges.blogspot.com.au/2018/01/challenge-156-anything-goes.html


UPDATE


Special Mention winner at Classic Design Team Challenge