It's Feminine Fortnight at Allsorts!

Hi there!

I'm lucky enough to be a guest on the Allsorts' Design Team for the next 2 weeks. You can see all the lovely things my Teamies have made by visiting ALLSORTS CHALLENGE #861 where the theme is FEMININE - or ANYTHING GOES - it's up to you. 

I made a feminine card with a lovely stamp by the now defunct Carabelle Studio and added a sentiment by Studio Light.

A6 sized card

There are two AALL & Create prizes on offer. You can enter up to 5 times and please remember to add details of your focal points to avoid copyright infringement.  

MATERIALS:

• Carabelle Studio rubber stamp SA60147 "Woman with Birds"
• StudioLight grunge series - Feather (Set 32) for the sentiment.
• Coloured with Derwent Inktense pencils and a water brush.
• VFC Twilight ink used for all the stamping. 

Autumn Trees Tag

Hi there!

Lots of challenges are having autumn themes, so I made an autumnal tag to play along with them.

Tag

Details:

• Aall & Create Taggletastic die for tag shape, and Roadway Vistas for the trees, die-cut from white SNIPPETS and a WHOLE piece of SU Lucky Limeade card.
• Distress inks and brushes used for all colouring: Peeled Paint; Shabby Shutters;Wild Honey; Ripe Persimmon and Vintage Photo. 
• Hobby Art grass stamp from the Bee Kind set.
• Inkylicious circle stencil for the sun.
• Crop-a-dile used to set eyelet for string at top of tag.

I would like to enter the tag into the following challenges:

ALLSORTS #859 - Anything Autumn (ends 9th October)

TAG ALONG & ATCs October Challenge - All Things Autumn (ends 28th October)

WE LOVE STAMPING October Challenge - Shades of Autumn (ends 28th October)

It's Autumn Already!

Hi Playmates!

For my Snippets Playground homework, I made an autumn leaf card which means I can join in with Challenge 859 at ALLSORTS where Chris has chosen the theme of ANYTHING AUTUMN!

I have published RESULTS from the previous challenge, so please hop over to the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND to admire the top picks and discover which lucky playmate won the prize. There's still nearly a week left to play in the current challenge if you haven't already done so.

5" x 5" card

Attempting to show the shine of the Glossy Accents!

Materials:

• Leaf image "Autumn Border" by Crafty Roo.
• Image panel die cut with Heffy Doodle stitched squares die.
• Snippet of blue paper from a Studio Light paper pad.
• Derwent Inktense pencils and waterbrush used to colour the image.
• Glossy Accents added to the leaf.

Allsorts Challenge #858

Hi there!

I’m delighted to be back over at ALLSORTS as Guest Designer for the next fortnight, where Gail has chosen the theme of SYMPATHY/THINKING OF YOU/GET WELL. Plenty of choice there, but if the theme isn’t for you, there’s always the “anything goes” option.

I went with the theme and made the following card:

A6 sized card

There’s a lovely prize available - full details on the challenge post HERE. Please pop over and see what lovely cards the DT have made.

Details:

• PaperArtsy "Poppy Edition" EAB37 stamp set for all the stamping.
• SU Tip Top Taupe ink & a waterbrush used to colour the seedheads.
• VFC Nocturne ink used for the words.
• AALL & Create Washi Tape #7 used at the bottom of the card.

Guesting at Allsorts

Hello there!

Happy Saturday to you. I’m honoured to be a Guest Design Team Member at Allsorts for the next fortnight. Challenge #855 has a theme of COLOURS OF SUMMER - or you can choose the Anything Goes option.

I really liked the butterfly-within-a-butterfly idea that Pauline used HERE, so this is my version of it as a one-layer card. I like pops of zingy yellow and orange flowers like marigolds in my garden in the summertime, so I went with 3 different shades of yellow/orange Distress Inks for my stencilling, then added black stamping for contrast. 

5.5" square

Details:

• 6"x6" Visible Image "Butterfly Ink" stencil, brushed on in the following order of Distress Inks: Mustard Seed; Spiced Marmalade and Ripe Persimmon.
• Visible Image Butterfly from the "Live Life Now" set, stamped over the top of the stencilled image in Versafine Onyx Black.
• The “Fabulous" word is from a retired Uniko stamp set, stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.

Please visit ALLSORTS CHALLENGE #855 to see the lovely prize on offer and admire the wonderful creations of my fellow Teamies. 

Artistic Flowers

Hi there Playmates!

RESULTS from the previous challenge have been posted, so please hop over to the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND to admire the top picks and discover which lucky playmate won the prize. There's still nearly a week left to play in the current challenge if you haven't already done so.

For my homework, I have a floral card to share with you:

A6 card

Details:

• Gummiapan flower stamp (a gift from a lovely friend). Stamped once with a bent stem and again with a straight stem. Then masked off before adding the background stamping.
• Background stamps: Aall & Create #905 Elemental Notes and Aall & Create #47.
• Flowers stamped in VFC Onyx Black ink & coloured with Inktense pencils and a water brush.
• Background stamped in SU Tip Top Taupe ink.
• Snippets = everything added to the card front.

Entering the following challenges:

1. ALLSORTS CHALLENGE 854 - Seaside theme/anything goes. I’m entering under the anything goes option.
2. WE LOVE STAMPING - July Challenge with a Summertime/anything goes. Hoping the flowers are summery enough for the theme.

The Imagine Tree

Hi there dear Reader!

Today, I have a one layer card to share with you, featuring only stamping and stencilling on the card front. 

The stencilling means I can join in with Donna’s theme at the current ALLSORTS CHALLENGE #853 where you can win more stencils to play with if you’re lucky. 

5” x 4” card

Materials:

• Numbers at left hand edge by Visible Image, from the You’re A Classic stamp set
• Tree by Stampin; Up - from Hopeful Thoughts stamp set
• Imagine word by PaperArtsy from the Coneflowers Edition Eclectica stamp set EAB49
• Grass stamp by Hobby Art from the Bee Kind set
• Dotty circles stencil from a magazine cover gift, stencilled with Distress Inks in Wild Honey, Peacock Feathers and Shabby Shutters.

Garden Faerie

Hi there!

I took advantage of the ALLSORTS birthday discount (last month), and treated myself to a couple of AALL & Create dies. This one is Roadway Vistas Set #78. 

Here's the first thing I made with it . . . but no doubt there will be lots more as it's a pretty versatile die set. 

MATERIALS:

• AALL & Create Roadway Vistas die used for the frame and centre panel.
• IndigoBlu Garden Faerie stamped onto copy paper, fussy cut and stuck onto the main panel. Extra stamping and cutting for a second pair of wings. The wings have Wink of Stella painted on.
• Distress Oxides: Shabby Shutters; Iced Spruce and Peacock Feathers for all inking and stencilling of the background.
• Derwent Inktense pencils used to colour the faerie. 
• Versafine Onyx Black used with the circles stamps from Funky Fossil's Tall Grass stamp set. Sprinkled with clear EP and heat set. 

I was undecided whether to add a cardboard stand to the back of this, or mount it onto a card front. In the end, I chose the card option - see below. I added some more bubbles to the card to coordinate!

As the focal stamp is called "Garden Faerie" - I thought I'd enter the current ALLSORTS CHALLENGE #851 where Brenda has chosen the theme of ANYTHING FROM THE GARDEN. Brenda has fairies playing at the bottom of her wonderful garden . . . so am hoping this will comply with the theme . . . but if that’s stretching things too far, it can always be entered under the Anything Goes option.

Delighted to have been a Top 7 Pick with this fairy card over at Allsorts:

You're invited to Allsorts' 17th Birthday Party

I am thrilled to be one of the Guest Designers at ALLSORTS Challenge 850 while they celebrate their 17th birthday.  Go check out the Design Team’s lovely makes. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALLSORTS - congrats to Brenda and her team on your longevity.

The challenge theme is ANYTHING GOES - so a nice easy one.

There are lots of lovely prizes on offer (details HERE) and you can enter up to 5 times, so why not come and join in with the Allsorts Birthday Party and you might go home with a little goody bag!n On top of all that there is a code for 15% off of Aall & Create products which is AllsortsBD17.

I got out the wonderful Studio Light triptych dies to make this shaped card, along with some vintage style stamps by Tim Holtz. I stamped the butterfly twice so I could decoupage it. If you fold one panel back on itself, this card fits inside a 6" x 6" envelope.

Materials:

• Studio Light triptych die
• Botanic Collage Stamps CMS447 by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous
• White panels matted onto SU Tip Top Taupe card
• SU Birthday stamp from a long retired set, stamped with Tip Top Taupe ink
• Lavinia Elements Mulberry ink used for the main panels

Allsorts - Anything but Square

I'm delighted to be back as Guest Designer for the next fortnight over at the ALLSORTS CHALLENGE #848 where Christine has set the theme as ANYTHING BUT SQUARE (or anything goes) - so think shaped cards if you wish to enter using the theme. There are Aall & Create goodies to be won by 2 lucky entrants - but please remember to include names/makes of products used for your project.

I had some ink left over from when I smooshed the background for THIS CARD and decided to mop it up with a small snippet of white card for later use. This meant I could make a teeny tiny card with the results.  

Card measures 3" x 2.25" when closed.

Details:

• Zigzag card blank made from a white strip of card left over from making my own card blanks. It measured 8" x 2.25 and was scored and folded at 3", 6" and 7" to make the zigzag shape.
• Leane Creatief Daisy die - cut from a small snippet of SU Misty Moonlight card, and the sentiment was mounted onto another small snippet of the same card.
• Sentiment (from a magazine cover gift) was stamped onto a white snippet of card. 
• White Julie Hickey Glossy Accent for daisy centre. 

In the garden - with Allsorts!

I was thrilled to be asked to join ALLSORTS as a Guest Designer for the next fortnight. Gail has chosen the easy theme of IN THE GARDEN, or there's always the Anything Goes option - and there's a lovely Lavinia prize up for grabs.

 As I get frogs in my garden, it had to be another "Frog Yoga" card because I love them (the stamps that is, not frogs per se!) and the sentiments in the set are so amusing.

A6 sized card

Details:

• All stamps are from the Stampendous "Frog Yoga" set. Coloured with watercolour pencils first, then a waterbrush was used for blending.
• Snippet of white for stamping the frogs on, matted with some SU Soft Sea Foam card.

Sittin’ Pretty!

Hi there!

I decided to play with my lovely wooden stamps. This chicken, sitting pretty on top of a pile of gifts, is an old favourite. I have left the card sentiment-free for the time being.

I’d like to enter the card into the current ALLSORTS CHALLENGE 844 where the theme is RIBBONS AND BOWS. I took a leaf out of VAL’S book and used a stamp with ribbons and bows on it (in the gifts). 

A6 sized card

Details:

• SNIPPETS = Everything stuck to the card front!
• SU patterned paper, mounted onto SU Night of Navy card.
• My 23-year old-Penny Black “Party Perch” 2619H wooden stamp!
• Image coloured with watercolour pencils and a water brush. 

Delighted to be part of Allsorts Top 7 with this card - thank you so much.

New Home Card

I needed a new home card to add to my 'ready made' box, so I set about making one!

I created my own background, which complies with the current theme over at the Allsorts Challenge. So I am nipping over to ALLSORTS to enter their current Challenge 842. 

Custom made card measuring 4.5" x 6 3/4"

Details:

• Lavinia Stamps: Freya's House; Slender Mushrooms Mini; Vine; Woodland Hares; Fairy Forager.
• Other stamps: Hobby Art line of grass stamp from Bee Kind set; Woodware New Home sentiment.
• Dotty circle stencil - magazine cover gift from yonks ago.
• Custom made card blank.

Snippets Sunday - Ooh La La!

Hi Playmates!

Di has published RESULTS from the previous challenge, so please hop over to the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND to admire her top picks and discover which lucky playmate won the prize. There's still nearly a week left to play in the current challenge if you haven't already done so.

For my homework this week, I made a background and then added a snippet collage over the top. This means I can also join in with the current ALLSORTS CHALLENGE #842 where the optional theme is to CREATE YOUR OWN BACKGROUND (or anything goes).

Finished A6 sized card with a side opening.

The stamped & stencilled background.

Snippets pulled out ready to use.

Details:

• BACKGROUND created with Visible Image Daisy stencil. With the stencil still held in place, I stamped a little background stamp from Studio Light's Grunge Collection stamp set SL451 among the petals.
• SNIPPETS for this card had previously been stamped on to a scrap of white printer paper (left over from making card inserts) using Hobby Arts' "Vintage" set. The female figure is from SU's "Beautiful You" set and was cut out from scrap of white card. I often stamp things on to white snippets, cut out and keep for later!

Blue Bird Birthday!

Hi there - thanks for dropping by!

I made this card using the ink smooshing ink technique, along with a few snippets. 

I would like to enter this card into the current ALLSORTS CHALLENGE #842 where they want to see you CREATE YOUR OWN BACKGROUND (or you can enter under the ANYTHING GOES option).

5" square card size

Details: 

• Unbranded bird die from Temu.
• Foliage die by Sizzix (Hidden Leaves, code 664581)
• Sentiment by Uniko (Simply Said Blocks)
• Smooshed background made using spritzed SU Misty Moonlight ink and a small piece of acetate to pick it up and smoosh on card front. 

Allsorts - Challenge #842

Hi there!

I've made a sympathy card from snippets that were glued over the top of a stamped and stencilled background. 

I would like to enter this card into the current ALLSORTS CHALLENGE #842 where creating your own background is the optional theme, or there's always Anything Goes.

A6 sized card - tent fold

The stamped and stencilled background
before I added the snippets.

The snippets I pulled out to play with.

There's some gorgeously grungy AALL & CREATE stamps to be won at Allsorts, so why not hop over and join in? And if you use up some of your snippets, you can come and play at the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND.

Details:

• Background created with Studio Light BJ04 stencil by Jolanda de Ronde and a splatter stamp from the Gorgeous Grunge set by SU, using SU Sahara Sand and Chocolate Chip inks.
• Snippets: the leafy strip is from That's Crafty Nature's Gatherings 1 stamp set; sentiment is by Uniko and the black heart is from a Crafts Too "Miss P Loves Boundless Journal Locking Tag set.

Leafy card for Allsorts

Hi Crafty Friends!

I have a stamped and die cut card using one of my gelli prints to share with you today. I'm entering it into the current ALLSORTS CHALLENGE #832 where the lovely Val has chosen the theme of Trees, Leaves and Plants (or you can enter an "anything goes' project). I went with LEAVES!

Card measures 5" square

Details:

• Simon Says Stamp die:"Circle of Leaves" used to cut the leafy circle from a gel plate print
• Heffy Doodle "Stitched Circle" die used to make the outer frame.
• Lots of Studio Light and Florileges Design stamps used from different sets to create the background.

Floral One Layer Birthday Card

Today I'm sharing a One Layer Card (OLC) with you. I love the Clean And Simple (CAS) look of it. 

Card measures 4.5" square

Details:

1. Stamped the "Creative Chaos" Visible Image flower direct to the card front, together with a PaperArtsy birthday sentiment.
2. Flower is coloured with Picked Raspberry Distress Ink in various dilutions using a water brush.

I'm taking this card over to the ALLSORTS' CURRENT CHALLENGE #831 where the optional theme is BIRTHDAYS. 

Something a little different . . .

Hi there!

Today I have a couple of things to share with you.

First, I made an art journal page having watched THIS VIDEO:

Double page spread in my Dylusions A4 sized art journal.

Then I used the same method to make a card, by shortening the length of the figure so it would fit!

5 x 7 card

Card Details:

• Various acrylic paints were randomly applied to the 300gsm white card in different layers and some were wiped off through stencils.
• Once the paints were dry, I stamped all sorts of grungy stamps over the pages using VFC Nocturne ink.
• While the ink was drying, I drew a figure on a piece of cardboard packaging and cut it out. Once the ink was dry, the mask was placed on the painted & stamped surface facing to the left while I added white paint around it. The mask was flipped over to face the other way while I added more white paint around it!
• Once the white paint was dry, I outlined the figures with a white gel pen, just to tidy them up.
• I ran a gold calligraphy pen around the edges of the main panel before gluing it to the card front.

Both card making AND art journaling make me happy, not to mention all that stamping and getting messy with acrylic paints in the process . . . so, I'm running along to the current ALLSORTS CHALLENGE 825 to join in with their WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY theme (entering just the journal spread).

Let's Celebrate Allsorts' 16th Birthday!

Woot Woot!

Today is Allsorts' 16th Birthday. Quite the achievement. 

Many congratulations to Brenda and her DT. 

Talking of the DT - I'm honoured to join them as a Guest Designer this fortnight - and therefore made a suitable birthday card . . . 

6" x 6" card

MATERIALS:

• STAMPS: Altenew's Layered Cupcake set for the cupcake and sentiment. It is quite fiddly to get the stamp layering done accurately, so, after a few abortive attempts I stamped the outline and coloured the rest in with distress inks and a water brush!
• STENCIL: Funky Fossil's Brushed Roses - used at opposing corners with Picked Raspberry DI.
• GLITTERY CARD (kindly gifted to me by lovely blog friend): Used for the numbers and the main image mount.
• DIES: Heffy Doodle Stitched Square dies used to cut both the main image and the mount. Sizzix Thinlits Stylised Alphabet set (665488) used for the numbers. 

In order to celebrate this amazing achievement, there are lots of prizes and the theme is ANYTHING GOES. Come and join in the fun HERE. 

Aall & Create are offering prizes to UK/European winners and for USA entrants Lawn Fawn and Gina K have offered a $25 voucher each and the Colorado Craft Company is offering 3 stamps - so there's something for everyone.